just drop it already.

There was just enough of a weird mix of rain/mist to curl my hair and try my nerves. However, I didn't want to be flustered. Not this morning. I wanted to just get to dry land, aka the church conference room. I passed by others who were hurrying to a certain destination point like me.

Work. School. Starbucks.

Side note: There is literally a Starbucks around every dang corner here. Not that I'm complaining.

However, the point is that everyone was focused on Step B. The next place on their schedule, the next check mark off their calendar, the next step.

I was not any less guilty than every other person I passed on the dreary and wet Wednesday morning.

Then God hit me with a reminder when I made it to that church conference room of just to "drop it" already.

How many times have we heard that saying when we were fighting with siblings or friends in middle school? Our go to out was just to "drop it". Whatever the most likely petty argument was. I wonder how many times God looks down at us and thinks "My goodness Rebecca, just drop it already."

Drop the worry.
Drop the hurrying.
Drop the control.
Drop trying to please everyone.

Pleasing people were what I was always trying to do growing up. I hated to have anyone one upset or angry with me. And if I ever that "d" word of "disappointment", then my whole world came tumbling down. I would be devastated.

It started to wear on me in high school. I had begun to put myself last and everyone else first. Except not in an humbling manner like Christ calls us to do. But in a manner where I was constantly saying "yes" because I wanted to keep everyone happy.

By the time I was in college, my tank had hit the empty mark. I was drained and anxious. I had to learn to let go.

I say that like it is easy. No, it is a daily struggle where I have to consciously remind myself to let go and let God. It is so relieving, and I know this. However, I am quicker to retreat to trying to control it myself. Then I hit that empty mark again very quickly.

Zacchaeus best teaches us this lesson. It was where we turned to in Luke this morning at Small Group. A tax collector who literally had all the material goods he could want. He had power and prestige. Yet he was empty. He was a "wee" man who society turned away and deemed "not good enough". Yet Jesus immediately called him out in the crowd. When everyone else was ignoring him, Jesus was recognizing him.

This changed Zacchaeus. He let go.

Jesus calls us the same way. Yet why do we more often than not retreat away? Why do we try to collect our goods ourselves and think it will be enough? It only drains us of joy, happiness, and peace. It also makes us less sensitive to the pre-Jesus Zacchaeuses. The ones who society says are not good enough. Who aren't worthy. Who are in their circumstances or facing trials because of something they did.

I think that is when God tells us to "drop it". Drop all the control and embrace His peace.

How can He use us then? How could we help the young, homeless mother on the street or the friend who is longing for a listening ear or the prostitute getting into her pimp's car. How could Jesus use us if we just "dropped it".

Imagine how powerful that could be.