dis·cern·ment
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dis·cern·ment
noun
1. the ability to judge well.
2. perception in the absence of judgment (negative or positive) with a view to obtaining spiritual direction and understanding.
The Scorpion and the Frog
“A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the
scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back.
The frog asks, ‘How do I know you won't sting me?’
The scorpion says, ‘Because if I do, I will die too.’
The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream,
the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of
paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown,
but has just enough time to gasp ‘Why?’
Replies the scorpion, ‘Its my nature.’”
LEARN TO DISCERN
You are not stupid. Naïve maybe, but you are not stupid.
Stop trying to be right. Stop trying to break through the wall. Stop putting others first when it comes to you. Stop serving others before you serve you, for if you starve, you will serve no other.
It is not wrong to put yourself first, for in your nourishment, you enable yourself to be of service to others. Take care of you and you take care of the world.
Now, learn to discern the scorpions, the leaches and the vampires from those who nurture you. Discern between those who parasitically live off of you, from those who are the wind beneath your wings, who in their flying, give lift to you. Determine who paddles to help get across the stream, from those who sting you.
Pay attention to those who nurture themselves and you. Learn through their actions who is who. If someone repetitively bolsters you, nourishes you through encouragement and advice, lets you cry on their shoulder or over the phone, who over time is still in your life even without much encouragement, pay them attention and give to them in return, the nourishment they share with you.
Cut loose those who control you, who love you “if”, “when”, or “but”. Cut loose those who take from you, who force you, who coerce or extort you. Cast to the wind those who push you down instead of up, for they will drown you. You see, it is their nature.
Right now, you know who helps you fly and who does not. In your life, you know who is there for you and who is not. As you read this, your inner voice is telling you, let this one go and reach for the one who has never left your side. You know their nature, so start listening.
We each have a choice. We can repeat our same old patterns, make the same bad choices or we can change from what and who does not work, to who does.
Ask yourself this, “How many more times do I want to learn this lesson?”
“How many more times do I want my heart broken?”
“How many more times will I listen to the scorpion.”
“How many more times will I drown.”
Act from your knowingness of those in your life, those who are still beside you, who push you up, instead of drag you down, who set you free, instead of chain you. In your choices, you grow, survive, you thrive and you become more, or you shrivel and die.
Learn To Discern - Today, access those in your life. Look at their actions, not just their words. No one needs know that you even accessed them, but you. So, look at what they do when it comes to you. Look at what they do when it comes to you. Take each person and see how you feel around them.
Do you feel better when you are in their company, or do you feel worse?
Do you feel like you can fly, or do you feel like you will drown?
Do you feel stronger or weaker?
Can you make choices, or do you feel like they choose for you?
Now, step back and ask yourself these questions.
Have I become comfortable with others telling me what to do?
Do I feel comfortable serving them, when they do not serve me?
With them, am I co-dependent or self-sufficient?
Do I fly with them or drown with them?
And, ask yourself this, “Do I want to fly, or do I want to drown?”
Your answers to these questions determine your future.
Will you fly or will you drown.
What do you want?
