I took this picture years ago and I come back to it so often in my mind as a reminder to lay down the ladder.
What do I mean?
Often in life we unintentionally place people in an invisible ladder, tiering some above us and some below us. Maybe you haven’t, but I admittedly have. Doing this has never benefitted me, for when I put people above me I end up thinking less of myself and if I’ve tiered people below me, I’ve negated their true worth and value and put myself on a pedestal of pride, which is never wise to do.
You see, the more I learn about God, I see that He doesn’t have a ladder tiering us as people, one better or worse than another. I don’t believe He has a ladder at all but if He did have a ladder I wholeheartedly believe it would be laid down like this, placing each person beside one another. He sees each of us for who we He made us to be, and loves and values us as the individuals we are.
As I follow God, my aim in my days is to do my best to follow His lead and not place anyone above me, or below me, but see others as someone who is beside me in this life. I heard someone once say, “We are all children of God, He doesn’t have grandchildren.” This idea struck my heart and reminded me of my position in life, to be beside others.
I share this with you today as it’s on my heart, and to invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
If you too have placed others on a ladder, above or beneath you, or others have placed you on one, may we lay down the invisible ladder we, or society, has created. May we instead place ourselves beside one another. May we pray to see one another as God sees us and honor one another and build each other up into the people He made us to be.
With love and hope,
Shawn
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1 Thessalonians 5:11