~ written by Connie Dunmyer
Have you ever noticed that many of the personalities around us – family and friends – can be directly traced to “Winnie the Pooh” characters? My grandmother, saintly as she was, was definitely Piglet … “oooh deear!” On the other hand, my husband is definitely Tigger! (I’ve always wanted to be a Tigger.) I’ve known a few Pooh bears … seemingly able to simply glide through life without a worry … even when they get their head stuck in a honey pot.
But Eeyore …
I’m afraid I have always related to Eeyore. Maybe we all do at some point in our lives. However, if I allow Eeyore to take over too long, being Eeyore can become a comfortable habit… all too easy to only look down, to focus on my own “tail”, and to simply trudge along ignoring the pain of others around me. It becomes like a permeating “smell” surrounding me wherever I go. I call it my "Eau de Eeyore".
Travel back in time with me, to a place in time when some people who could have become like Eeyore, chose a better way… Paul and the Thessalonians.
We find the Thessalonians in Acts 17:1-15. Paul is practically a lightning rod for trouble finding him. He and Silas had just been released from prison in Phillipi. Then Paul, Silas and Timothy travel through Thessalonica and they begin a church there. Of course, as often happens, when the Word of God is being spread – fear, hate, and jealousy presents itself against that good work. And we should not be surprised or even discouraged by these things. (1 Peter 4:12-13).
A group of jealous people created a mob and rioted the city. They went to the house of Jason – where Paul was known to be staying. But when they didn’t find Paul, they grabbed Jason (presumably a new convert), and dragged him before officials. They forced him to post a bond before letting him go. Paul escapes into Berea. But the bond of love created between the church in Thessalonica and Paul is strong and deep. So at some point, Paul sends this a letter to his beloved friends.
“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;” - 1 Thessalonians 1:2
- Paul and Silas give thanks to God ALWAYS for them. With good reason. They are faithful. They are examples. And they did all they could to protect Paul & company. Ah – good friendships. There is nothing like a good friendship here on earth. In many ways, it’s like our spiritual connection to Jesus in physical form.
- They not only give thanks to God for them, but they talk with God ABOUT them. They lift them up to the Father… which may be, in part at least, WHY they are such faithful examples of faith. Prayer changes people. Prayer strengthens people. Prayer connects me, the pray-er, to the pray-ee in a way that no other experience can.
The importance of prayer. Scripture is important. I find that often as I’m reading scripture, I am praying it too. But lifting others in prayer… “Making mention” of them… to the God of the universe… Am I as faithful in that area? I'd like to think so. When I tell others “praying for you” … do I follow through? On my good days, yes ... on my bad days?
This verse also begs the questions:
- Who am I continually thankful for?
- Who do I lift up to the Father because of my thankfulness for them?
But what happens when I become so self-absorbed that I don’t pray for others as I should?
Self-centeredness is a single-minded focus on oneself and one's own needs, desires, preferences, and problems. Someone who is self-centered may be preoccupied with their own thoughts and feelings and may not be very attentive to the needs and perspectives of others. On the other hand, selfishness is a lack of concern for others, to the extent that someone may actively pursue their own goals and desires at the expense of others. ~ VeryWellMind
Lately I find my prayers have become so much “about me”. Yes - I need prayer. And yes - I need my time with Jesus. But I really don’t like it when I’m so inwardly focused. When I’m only looking down, at my own issues, focused on my own tail… It gets to be “stinky”. Yes, I call them “stinky prayers”.
Immediately after eye surgery to fix the hole in my macula, I had to be face-down for 72 hours. 3 full days and nights. Originally I thought how bad can it be … I can do anything for 3 days. I was mistaken. It was difficult and painful to say the least. Even memory foam feels like concrete after a day. And by the end of the second day, there were times when I hated to even breathe in my little “face hole” because it smelled so bad. All my breath. All my slobber. Ended up in that hole. And it stunk! My very inward focus – very, VERY limited view and perception. It was painful. And it was stinky.
That’s how it is when I only see me. My limited view and perception. I only see the pain. My tears and slobber. It gets pretty stinky. To be honest, I’m not sure it’s even really prayer at that point. It’s just moaning… just smelling the same stink minute after minute, hour after hour. Causing myself even more pain because I cannot (or will not) look up.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
THIS is what God is calling me to. Rather than focusing on my own lost tail, God is calling me to focus on encouraging each another and the building up of each other.
I know there are days and times when we must focus on ourselves. The last several months have shown me this is most definitely true. BUT when I become so selfish that all my thoughts, all my prayers, are consumed with me, Me, ME… well, I no longer fulfill this verse’s call to action. The odor of self is all there is... my "Eau de Eeyore".
Dear Lord – help me. Lift up my head to You. Is my redemption truly drawing nigh? Or is it the fact that I look up which allows me to SEE Redemption – Jesus! I don’t know. But as I exhale, I release it again to You and trust You with it all. Just as the disciples asked You how to pray – I ask You to continually prod me toward praying for others. And if I need some prayer, I know You’ll prod someone else to do so for me. Thank You for that. Thank You for The Body. Amen.
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