Recently on social media I saw a woman’s birthday wishes from her friends and family. Most of the cheerful comments blended into one another. But there was one that stood out.
It was a picture of the woman and her young adult daughter. Her daughter had written a simple, but powerful, message which read,
“Happy birthday to my mom; she’s such an easy person to celebrate.”
An easy person to celebrate.
As I re-read those few, simple words, they jumped out at me, loaded with meaning. It caused me to wonder, “What makes someone easy to celebrate?”
And then I asked myself the tough question: “Am I living my life in such a way that my children and others will be able to say that about me?”
It was humbling, to say the least.
So I dug deep within and asked myself if the path I was on was one that would lead to others being blessed by me… Or burdened by me.
Am I too hard on my children, on my stepchildren, on my husband? On others? Am I impatient when I expect people to behave or act the way I want, right when I want?
Do I listen, or just talk? Do I respond, or just react?
Am I too preoccupied or distracted to see the needs in others?
After all, what makes a person easy to celebrate?
It’s easy to celebrate someone who celebrates us.
Someone easy to celebrate is a person who believes in others, who loves freely. It’s a person who keeps their word, and practices what they preach. It’s a good listener.
It is someone who may not fully trust the situation, but trusts and obeys God, even if that means relinquishing their recognition or their pride.
It’s someone who believes it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Isn’t it easy for us to move full steam ahead and miss the things that we’re doing that might be leaving a negative impression?
Or maybe we’re simply missing an opportunity to speak life into others. I know this because I am guilty of it.
After all, my flesh is critical, self-motivated and self-seeking. My flesh looks for equal treatment and justice and recognition. My flesh needs human validation…
But living in the flesh is like living in our blind spots.
When we’re living in our blind spots, we’re slow to give grace or seek what’s best for others.
That’s why I am so thankful for moments like these — moments where God speaks to my heart and suddenly my words and actions come clearly into my line of vision.
Because these moments of self-awareness? They are a gift from the Holy Spirit. They are a gift of getting another shot, of starting fresh today and hope for a better day tomorrow. They are a gift of repentance and forgiveness and changing our course of action.
Those simple birthday wishes from a young woman to her beloved mother had more depth than she likely realized.
She may not have even been able to put in words why her mom was easy to celebrate. Maybe it was just a feeling she had. But it made me consider the legacy I am creating.
It reminded me to let God keep working on my heart so I can love and serve…
And celebrate others freely.
“…He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6
