By Sitting on the arm of an old chair, I stared at the dust bunnies on the floor. They fluttered with every passing movement, formless and ugly, transparent dirt, the result of… nothing really. They just gather together in ignored dark corners little by little as time passes…
Not one person had intentionally put them there. They just happen! They’re simply a “result” made mostly from skin the sun had kissed, hair the wind had touched, dirt the sky had loved… once alive, now dead and worthless, hiding in a dark place, blown there by a slight breeze, forgotten, awaiting the decision to remove them.
Glancing around, I took notice of other things neglect had touched. An inside out shirt, a dirty pair of britches and my old wing tip, red top boots. But there was so much more…
Deep inside my soul there were many things that neglect had killed and left to wander aimlessly causing my entire being to be in a state of unrest. My own neglect, the neglect of another, having watched the neglect of many, all mixed together creating formless masses of dead feelings and hopes that desperately needed to be swept out to make room for life!
My mind wandered back, sifting through memories of the past. I recalled how my heart had been neglected in his purpose to protect his own. It was not deliberate to neglect mine, I’m sure, neglect is unfortunately the aftermath of purpose in the opposite direction.
Purpose is never to tear the house down, but neglect allows it to fall. Purpose is rarely to push someone away but neglect urges them to go. Purpose is seldom to wound, but neglect is its own deadly sword.
So many times in life it’s what we don’t do that has the bigger affect. The consequence of our neglect can far out way the vision of our purpose.
When we see someone hurting, we don’t hit them again, but do we offer a word of kindness? A simple word letting them know we care. Or perhaps our purpose is to to just get through our own day.
When we see someone struggling, we don’t add to their burden, but do we extend a helping hand? A hand to steady them, give them guidance. Or perhaps our hands are already full of a purpose that excludes another of God’s children.
When we see someone crying, we don’t cause more tears to fall, but do we catch the ones already flowing? In an effort to understand where the pain is coming from, we often need to brush the tears back ourselves. Or is our purpose to make certain that our own eyes remain dry?
When we see someone far off in the distance, driven away by uncertainty, we don’t drive them further, but do we draw them near? Do we call to them in love, wrap arms around them to let them know that their heart is safe with us? Or are our arms consumed with work and play, leaving no room for another lost soul?
I realize now that purpose and neglect are simply enemies that hold hands. They are always side by side, one never seen without the other. Purpose holding onto one thing, neglect taking over what’s left.
Purpose is full of life, it has a plan, it calls for action! While neglect sneaks in from behind, calmly and quietly consuming what’s left, causing decay and dust to take over. When that’s dust bunnies on the floor the broom will work just fine. But when it’s someone’s heart you’ve neglected, the consequences are truly harrowing.
Neglect is the loudest silence known to man. Neglect is the most destructive of an effortless lazy passiveness. Neglect is a consuming fire in the wake of purpose. Neglect will destroy what action would take much thought to accomplish. Neglect will leave a person feeling vacant, yet full of pain. Meaningless, yet overwhelmed. Busy, yet accomplishing nothing.
Neglect… is something we all are equally victim and perpetrator of…
So when I purpose in my heart to do one thing, I want to always look behind to see what’s being neglected. So much of what’s not even important will always be around, but the people I love will not. I want them to know I love them, on purpose!
Purpose had a plan… neglect had a consequence…
Tomorrow's Horizon 