Time for a hug
"And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Matthew 22:39 NIV
Jesus tells us that loving our neighbor is a big deal! He commands us to love our neighbor. And I think most of us would say we put effort into our relationships with those "neighbors." But the verse doesn't begin and end at the neighbor's front door with a casserole.
"As yourself"...
That's where it's always been a little harder for me. I've always put more time into caring for others than I've given myself. And it's not just that I neglect my own needs from time to time. It's that I'm the first to see my faults, point them out and lay out harsh judgment.
Where I might give others an encouraging word, I've met myself in anger. Where I might give others grace and patience, I've met myself with quick judgment.
This is a quote I found shortly after Sylvia was born. Since then, it's hung above my bedside table. It has been a good starting point for meeting myself in kindness.
“Speak quietly to yourself and promise there will be better days. Whisper gently to yourself and provide assurance that you really are extending your best effort. Console your bruised and tender spirit with reminders of many other successes. Offer comfort in practical and tangible ways - as if you were encouraging your dearest friend. Recognize that on certain days the greatest grace is that the day is over and you get to close your eyes. Tomorrow comes more brightly.”
-Mary Anne Radmacher
This week I'll be praying that you can find time and space to sit quietly. And that you can offer any sore spots in your spirit the same kind of tender hug little Amera was giving to her baby.
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