The Nice Girl With Good Intentions

The nice girl with good intentions
 
(Photo Credits Belong To Photographer: Rachel Barnitz). 
Ever since I was a very little girl, I have had an extreme passion for loving on and serving others, and regardless of what other people thought I always did this out of the honest sincerity in my heart to show them the love of Jesus through these actions. In the world we live today; however, people can pick and prod at these good intentions. They can scrutinize what you are doing, and eventually, eat at that beautiful heart of yours, making you feel nothing less than the love you were so desperately trying to give other people.

Likewise, being the "nice" girl isn't always easy; trust me. It can be difficult to face day after day with a huge smile, bright eyes, and glittering compliments for others when no one is willing to return the favor. Now with that statement, don't get me wrong. I don't do good things by expecting something in return. In fact, if I did, that would be ignorant, selfish, and rude. However, what I am saying is that sometimes, it is okay to be discouraged by always being the nice girl with good intentions. To be the girl that everyone reaches out to simply because they know she will listen and genuinely care. To be the girl that plasters sticky notes on her friend's cars and makes them their favorite desserts because she knows that it will make them smile. To be the girl that carries around a zillion granola bars and is known for it because isn't feeding the hungry souls that we interact with what God has called each of us to do? And I suppose that's why only God can understand the true intentions of our heart, while the world merely persecutes their existence, looking for anything and everything deceptive to mock of their kind doing. Why the world can't even begin to fathom that as a 21-year-old single female, I love to do things for other people without the connotation that I will get anything in return; that my intentions are pure and my heart is right because I want to share His love with others. That I have a love radiating so deeply inside of me, I just want to share it with people in order to make them happy. But unfortunately, the world doesn't see the nice girl with good intentions that way.

The world tries to misconstrue the nice girl with good intentions into the naive girl, with hidden motives: the walked all over girl with no possibility of doing these things wanting nothing in return. The flirted with girl, who was being nice, so I might as well mess with her heart. The friendship girl, who's closest friends cannot even fathom why in the world she would choose to break off a piece of her own heart to heal theirs. The now saddened girl appalled that the world would think so little of her Godly intentions.

For Godly purposes, come with all the things that the world hates: 100% pure motives, a humble heart, authentic character, and a genuine spirit. Reasons that never stop seeking for good in others, a heart that is so full of Christ it overflows in abundance, a character so real it shares its vulnerabilities with others, and a Spirit so dedicated to being this "nice girl" it presses on amidst the pushback and chaos. For the nice girl with good intentions will never actually be understood by the world, but the genuine nice girl with good intentions will carry on anyway. She will give until she can give no more, serve until her fingers are blistered and blue, smile until her face feels stuck in that position, and above all, imitate Christ until all who are lost have become found.

God sees the intricate fibers of your heart and the love that you so desperately want to lavish upon others. In fact, He sees these things not only because He instilled them within you to do so, but also because He was the "nice guy" with good intentions, highly misunderstood by the world.

"Did you see what Jesus did today?" I envision hearing the Pharisees snicker.

"Yeah, he healed a blind man" one of them mocked. "Wonder why he did that? Probably so He'd gain more followers,” he laughed as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah" Judas chimes in; "He couldn't possibly really love me, so why wouldn't I trade in his insincerity for some gold coins?" He remarks planting his feet into the ground.

"But I did" replies the solid ground on which each of their feet is found. "I loved you so much that I did these things out of the good intentions and humbleness of my heart. Not expecting anything in return, but just offering you a chance to live life to the fullest with me" He resounds in whispers.

"Oh," the Pharisees, Disciples, Judas, and World reply as their heads begin to look down towards the ground.

"I guess we didn't understand your love," they respond in unity.

"That's okay," Jesus replies with a smile as a small tear begins to roll down His face. "You didn't have to understand it to receive it."

For that's the thing about nice girls and guys with sincere, and real, and honest intentions. The love that they give to other people can't be bought, purchased, traded, or sold. It can't be shut down, destroyed, tarnished, or even defeated. And why? Because the joy that they find in serving others comes from God, and "neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus", and is so evidently radiating out of both you and me (Romans 8:39).

So go ahead, be the nice girl with good intentions. Have a heart of humility that fully gives yourself for the sake of others. That places others needs above that of his or her own and loves unconditionally, even when you know that these good deeds will be done without getting anything in return.

Because I have to wonder, maybe the reason why you've placed these passions in me is due to the fact that they were first found in you. The world won't be able to understand it- do it anyway.

"Humility and reverence for the Lord will make you both wise and honored"- Proverbs 15:33


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