#preachingtomyself

This is something I posted on Facebook over 4 years ago but it’s still relevant and God’s still working on me so I thought I’d share it again…

It’s so easy….so very, very easy, for us to get caught up with focusing on our differences–our skin is a different color, our political views are vastly different, our religious views don’t jive, we parent our children from completely different perspectives, we are urban or suburban or rural, we are male and female, we are married or single, we have children or we hate kids, we are pro-choice or pro-life…and of course the list could go on for days! Maybe you have a tattoo, wear sandals in the winter, have blue hair or you (insert difference here).

Everyday, we let these things divide us. We let these things build walls between us. We choose to focus on each other’s “perceived stupidity” and we stop focusing on the fact that we are all people with a heart and a soul and that ultimately we are all just doing the best we can in any given moment.

Should we make better choices–of course! Should we exercise more and eat less–probably (Wait! Were those donuts in that photo above?). Should we do lots of things better every single second of every day–yeah. But we’re all human and we’re all a hot mess in our own special way.

What if just for today we extend love and grace to each other and stop judging each other’s motives (which we only think we know anyway–we don’t really know someone else’s motives)?

What if just for today we stopped focusing on other people’s perceived stupidity and focused only on our own stupidity?

What if today we just loved everyone we encounter on Facebook and in life and cut them some slack?

What if today we tried to understand those around us rather than trying to make them understand us?

What if we really listened today to the hearts and voices all around us? How might we be changed? How might the world be changed?

There is a Michelle Obama quote, and whether you are a fan of hers or not it’s pretty powerful. She said, “It’s hard to hate up close.”

What if just for today we got up close to the people we find it hard to like and got to know them as a person, and learned a bit more about their story? I dare ya. In fact, I double dog dare ya!

Get out there and make the world more beautiful today!

Drop me a comment below and tell me what you think.

Thanks for dropping in and hanging out with me. I’d be thrilled if you’d share my blog on your social media.