I Get to Decide If You Care or Not

Humbling truths are the hardest to learn, and there’s only one way to learn this one: others decide if we care; they choose if we’re trustworthy. God’s Spirit will convince us if we’re genuinely concerned.

We may care a great deal, but if someone doesn’t trust us, they don’t think we care. More so, they don’t believe we care. There is still more to do in that relationship.

This truth is irrefutable as much as it’s indispensable. People are never convinced beyond their will, unless God convinces them to trust again. And our prayer is to make the most of that opportunity when it comes.

So, if someone clearly doesn’t trust us, for whatever reason that is real to them, there is no use in being frustrated, whoever we are to them. It’s best to take their side and begin to attempt to see the world from their exclusive perspective. There is no other way.

In fact, this is also the way forgiveness works — from the other person’s viewpoint we get to see a unique ‘truth’ that is as viable as our ‘truth’ is. It might seem that surrendering our standpoint for another person’s is debilitating, but the opposite occurs; to leave our polarised perception to join another’s outlook is liberating. We give ourselves to something bigger than us, which is beneficence for the relationship so everyone wins.

The blessing of shared perspectives is God shows us what others need regarding their care. We become convinced of something new; a knowledge about them and of the context of their lives we didn’t previously have. We’re always enriched in empathy.

Care provides for dignity, which is about respect, and trust cannot be given unless respect is earned.

Empathy enriches,
dignity is fair,
gaining a person’s trust,
is about showing that we care.