Please, Please Me Oh Yeah

Codependent Enablers . . . you know who you are.

You get your satisfaction in life from helping those who are messed up not appear so messed up. Whether your misfit of choice is an alcoholic or addict, an abusive, a lazy slob, a neurotic or a psychotic, or any combination of those, it’s your mission in life to cover for them.

Some that you CDE’s cover for have only mild problems and are able to function in society completely without help. But you still clean up their messes, small though they be, just to remove even the slightest possibility that they might be discovered, and you with them. Other of you CDE’s have individuals with chronic and acute behaviors that you struggle to conceal, often without much success.

Either way, it’s a tragic existence.

Perhaps even more tragic, because of the sheer numbers, are those who’ve accepted a life of religious codependence: blindly falling into rank and doing whatever it takes to please a code of conduct dictated by individuals who could easily be described as addictive, abusive, slothful, or lacking in a robust psychological health. Paul has a word or two for these poor souls:

For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them! Galatians 6:14-16 The Message

Read this very carefully folks: The key to spiritual, psychological, and actual peace, is not found in doing the right things (or for you CDE’s – in making sure everyone thinks your idiot is doing the right things), IT COMES FROM HAVING FAITH THAT GOD IS DOING THE RIGHT THINGS IN YOU!! (You might want to read that again because some folks have a hard time grasping it.)

Perhaps we should change those WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets to TWJiD (Trust What Jesus is Doing) bracelets. If we would only trust what Jesus is doing in us, then we wouldn’t have to ask ourselves what Jesus would do . . .