Confidence

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

It’s been a time of change for my family, and even though we’d been settling into our new home in a new state, it’s given us a crash course on stepping out of our comfort zones. We never imagined the changes that were still to come! One of my first appointments scheduled in our new area was for the pup’s annual checkup. I was scrolling through a list in my head the morning of the appointment.

Did I have his medical records? Check.

What about remembering everything I needed to tell the doctor and the questions I had? Of course not; that’s where my notes would come into play.

I did schedule the first appointment of the day, didn’t I? Yes, pretty sure.

Do I have the stool sample? Ugg! Not something I wanted to think about first thing in the morning, but that’s life.

I had the address, right? Yep.

Oh, the dog! It might be kind of important to grab him.

Our appointment with a new veterinarian had me a little nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. Even though he wasn’t a perfect pup at his old veterinarian’s office, I pretty much knew how he’d behave. We’d been through the process many times before.

After those first couple checkups when he was just a little thing, and quite fearful, that pup learned the veterinarian’s office was a place to absorb love and good feelings from all.

He’d get through the door quite politely, and then he’d get a view of the high desk off to the side. Knowing that there was someone behind the impossibly high barrier just waiting to see him, he’d become Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. Bouncing up and down he’d go, trying to get a good visual of his favorite person there.

Although he’d take about ten seconds to get himself under control, he would proceed to put on quite the show of an engaged, mannerly pup. Now he was faced with a new situation with people he didn’t know.

This new situation could play out in a few different ways. That’s why I wanted an appointment when it wasn’t very crowded inside. I was wondering if I’d get the out-of-control, bouncy pup who forgot he was now four years old and was capable of better behavior, or would I get the tail tucked, afraid, shaking, and not wanting to be seen pup?  There was a smidgeon of hope I’d get a calm, controlled, well-mannered, and confident dog. That was my dreaming big picture.

There might have been a slight argument with the GPS, making us arrive without much time to spare. This was after leaving fifteen minutes early, I might add. That sarcastic voice which likes to tell me what all I do wrong isn’t right all the time, even if my hubby thinks it’s operator error. She gets something wrong but still acts all inconvenienced when she needs to begin her “recalculating.” She’s the one who took me to a field!

Anyhow, after finally making it, I left the pup in the car so I could fill out the paperwork. Having finished, I took a deep breath, thought good thoughts, asked God to please help him not act like an idiot, and went to get him. He did his business and became a very attentive dog. I began gaining a little confidence for that appointment.

I opened the door to the office, and he politely waited for me to enter before following behind. Hmm…so far, so good. What was he going to do when he saw the tall desk that was similar to the other office? Well, he was going to completely ignore it of course. Alrighty then. We sat in the waiting room for some time before being called back to the exam room. Just enough time to test his control, I thought.

First up, was a cat walking around freely right in front of us. I was quite curious to see his reaction to this entertaining view. As he was sitting there with his head high and chest out, he paid no attention to the cat. Zero. I thought that was rather interesting.

Next came a dog scurrying out of the back to chase after the cat. Well, that even got my attention. Nope, nothing. “Oh, the peasants they allow into this office,” he seemed to say. Wait, what? You need to get off your high horse sir!

We even had a lady come in for one thing but got sidetracked when seeing Mr. Dignified sitting there. I thought, we’re done for. He’s going to get excited now; however, he sat there regally while waiting for me to give him the command to say hello. Shocked is a good word to describe feelings as he calmly approached her, sat down, and let her love on him a bit. Then, he gave her a head nod while resuming his place beside me. I’m telling you, that’s what it seemed like! Whose dog was this?

When we were called into the office, I was pretty much over my nerves, but was incredibly intrigued to watch the next act. I noticed a second of hesitation, but after a small sigh, he took everything like a champ while maintaining his dignity. Impressive.

The shots were administered, and we were wrapping up the appointment when he turned his back to all of us and put his nose about three inches from the door. He stood there. I think I heard him mutter, because he wouldn’t dare say something out loud that could be used against him, “I am finished here. Please open the door my servant.”

I guess I got my answer about how he’d behave. He was playing the royal part of prince for the appointment. The third scenario I hoped would happen came true, even though he was a bit snotty with it all. Seriously though, I was impressed. He had manners, was under control, and even showed love to that sweet lady who took the time to pet him.

Looking back, my pup was teaching me a lesson. We can handle new and difficult situations with confidence. It isn’t because we know we’re going to say everything right. We probably won’t. We might miss the mark. When I’ve spoken with what I know was from a heart of love, people have still taken offense. Some have simply ignored.

With all the opinions flying and people dissecting everything said, it might be easier to not say anything. Seems like that’s what the devil wants. Just like my pup knew that I was there if things took a wrong turn, I know that Someone is watching out for me too. Someone with far greater power than a GPS.

Those negative outcomes stuck with me, but the pup is helping me learn that we can’t put our memories on current situations. It stunts our growth, and we miss too many opportunities to connect with and encourage others. More times than not, those words I stepped out to say actually helped someone.

In a time when chaos seems to be reigning, an overwhelming feeling of helplessness, or even hopelessness, can take over when we start living in fear of how our words will be taken. That’s how the devil will separate us, discourage us, and silence us. My pup was willing to walk into a situation he wasn’t sure how to navigate. He didn’t freeze and refuse to walk through the door. He took one step at a time. He was brave. I believe we can be too.

Ask God for the words to say and have conversations, even if they’re scary and hard. If we speak from that place of love, if we show respect, if we always allow people to maintain their dignity, this world will become a better place.

I challenge you to speak in kindness and love today. Don’t shy away from the hard topics. I’d rather see us ask questions and get it wrong due to ignorance, than keep a division because of silence. Don’t remain quiet because you’re afraid to look silly or be rejected.

Also, remember that just because someone is speaking louder than you doesn’t mean you need to be silent or use the same tactics as them. Loud children will come to a halt quicker than anything if you start whispering to them instead of shouting over them. Does God shout at us or whisper to us? He gets His point across. Something to think about.

Do go into situations willing to hear a different viewpoint. That doesn’t mean you reject what you believe, but it’s amazing what you can learn and how you can grow from true conversations that aren’t just arguments. Appreciate the differences of others. Show empathy. Stand up for those who are being treated wrongly. Do have integrity and show love. See people’s potential and not their insufficiencies. Do give people the benefit of the doubt if you feel insulted because maybe what they’re trying to say comes from a place of good intention.

Maybe I need to take a page out of my pup’s book and hold my head high, stand taller, and work on this confidence thing. What about you? Are you able to bring out your inner royalty today? I’m not talking about being someone who is better than others, but remembering 1 Peter 2:9. Leave the darkness, the chaos, the uncertainty, the overwhelming feelings, the helplessness, and the hopelessness if they’ve tried to take up residency inside you.

You are needed. Don’t let your insecurities halt progress. Step into God’s wonderful light. Start a conversation and make a positive difference today!