At the Well - Overlooked

Have you ever been overlooked?
How did it make you feel?
How did you react?
What can you do as a Titus 2 woman, to be sure you don't overlook the important things (or people) in your life?

These are today's questions for At the Well. Being overlooked can be an unpleasant feeling that most everyone has experienced at one time or another. It may begin as a young girl in gym class when the teams were picked. As we grow and mature, we may be overlooked for accomplishments or actions that we have done and feel deserved recognition. We may be overlooked at our jobs when we do things that go unnoticed. At home many times the daily chores of running a home can be overlooked. Kind gestures or services we offer at church may be overlooked.

Being overlooked could be taken to heart as we are not appreciated, as our actions not noticed, or what we do is not important. This can cause reactions of hurt feelings, anger, bitterness or retaliation. If we ponder on the feelings on being overlooked, these negative reactions will surface.

But if we choose to go deeper than our feelings, (remember, you can't trust your emotions to live by and make wise decision by !!), we can examine our motives. Why do we do what we do? We serve our God because we love Him and He has called us to love others. We do things for our families because we love them. At church and at our jobs, our actions are an extension and overflow of God's love and grace which is a rippling fountain that flows from God - to us - to those around us. Colossians 3:23 "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men." God is deserving of our best and we should do our best for Him and not for the praise of man.

Of course it is always a nice thing to be recognized and Proverbs is full of encouragement and wisdom on speaking kind words, being an encouragement to others and doing things for others.

• Proverbs 3:27: "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is the power of your hand to do it."
• Proverbs 12:25 "Anxiety in the heart of a man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.
• Proverbs 27:9 "...and the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight..."

There is also a promise for those we are encouragers;Proverbs 11:25 "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself."

The most important things are the little things we notice and do not notice. It takes training to seek out good and seek to shut out not so good. I struggle with noticing the things my family does wrong and then proceed to tell them about it - a lot! Many times I am not so good at noticing the good things they do and telling them about that. I am working on developing a "bountiful eye". An eye that seeks out the good and tells about it. An attitude of being positive instead of negative. An effort to find the good qualities and actions I like and notice them aloud. Working on not overlooking and being a blessing!