Have you noticed that when we compare ourselves with others we get defensive, discouraged, or judgmental, or even perhaps all of the above. When we look at another’s life to primarily judge or criticize what we see there or to judge our own lives those are the results we get. What if instead we viewed others & ourselves from the perspective of our Creator God. What if we viewed each other, and the person in the mirror as a human being, created in the image of God who is simply attempting to figure out this life, this world and what’s going on around them? What if we didn’t continually view each other as a threat or something to fix, but as a fellow sojourner seeking answers to our list of endless questions?
My parents were kind, loving and accepting people. They welcomed and accepted all who crossed their paths. Once you entered into their “realm”, so to speak, you were enveloped into their selfless kindness and generous love. Their kingdom, which was a realm within a realm, was a beautiful land where all were invited, all were welcomed, all were cherished! This place was a place where you were allowed to be who God made you to be. They did not expect you to be like them, or even like the person next to you. They truly let you be you. There were some who would come into their presence and bring with them their own judgment of who they thought they, themselves, ought to be. They didn’t think they measured up to what they perceived was expected of them. These people would even see my parents cherishing & loving another and interpret that in such a way as to turn it into an ugly thing. They viewed it as a revelation of their own lack, and my parents being preferential. They allowed the beauty of my parents selfless love toward another to become a thing that upset them greatly. They could not see it for what it truly was. They couldn’t see that they also were receiving this selfless love & acceptance. These people grew bitter within themselves. But even this did not change who my parents were. Nor did it hinder the reckless abandon with which they loved all whom they were allowed to touch.
As their youngest child I was one who God graced to be able to gain much from these incredible people. Before you begin to judge my perception of who my parents were, let me tell you that my father was the first to tell of his own lack as a human being. Of how he had failed as a husband and father. This only served to endear me even more to him. He was “real”! He wasn’t attempting to be anymore, or less, than who he was. My mother did the same. They were imperfect people who learned, by the grace of God, to simply cherish each human being who was created in the image of God. They were a great match. My father had a passion for men to treat women with deference & respect, recognizing the beautiful roles the Lord had given us. Sometimes, in a show of his “lack as a human being”, he would get very upset when he would hear of a man’s infidelity to his wife and say “the wretch!” It makes me smile to think of how indignant he would get. But even in that his love was being displayed. He was simply walking out who he was made to be, imperfections and all.
That has become a passion of mine,
Walking in the freedom of knowing I am one who is imperfect, being perfected by the only One who is perfect.
Encouraging others to show up daily and FULLY walk in their true identity as a child of God created in His image for His glory lending a hand to all those they meet along the way.
Remembering to count my blessings, even as I encourage others to do the same. With our minds, hearts & souls stayed on Jesus that we may not stray, but be steadfast.
In this segment of our history let’s devote ourselves to sitting at the feet of our Lord to learn from Him more about who He is in order that we may comprehend who He intends for us, as His children, to be. We each have been created in His image for good works.
When we live in a way that is encouraging and brings out the best in people, you will be blessed and others will be blessed. The negative voices often found in society should not keep you from being kind, caring, compassionate, and encouraging.
“For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NASB1995
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