Black Women Have It Going On

It is easy for people to shout directions when they aren’t the ones holding the hammer. You will find that as soon as you start tending your irons in the fire, the critics will appear on the sand to tell you why the fire is too hot or the work is too much. They talk down to you not because they know better, but because they need to feel like they do.

This “talk-down” energy is a double standard. These same people would never allow you to speak to them with such condescension, yet they feel entitled to belittle your vision. You must realize that their “advice” is often a distraction meant to pull you out of the boat and back onto the dry land of mediocrity. You don’t need the approval of someone standing on the shore to pull in a catch in deep water.

The Takeaway

• Identify the Noise: If the advice doesn’t help you pull the net, it’s just noise.
• Set the Boundary: If people wouldn’t let you talk to them that way, don’t let them talk to you that way either. Respect is a two-way street, even in the family lane.

Community Challenge

Why do we give so much weight to the opinions of people who aren’t even helping us work? How do you distinguish between “godly counsel” and “shoreline noise” in your own life?

Scripture & Prayer

• Scripture: “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.” — Proverbs 12:11
• Prayer: Father, grant me the ears to hear Your still, small voice above the shouting on the shoreline. I release the weight of every “ten-ton brick” thrown by those who aren’t even in the boat with me. Help me to recognize the double standards of others and give me the grace to set holy boundaries. My peace is not for sale, and my focus is on the haul, not the noise. Amen.