I Dare You

Today gift is Compassion: “May you be gentle with yourself and others. May you forgive those who hurt you and yourself when you make mistakes.”

Which is harder-being gentle with yourself or others? For me it depends on the day. I find that if I have had someone be gentle with me it is easier to pass it on. But take those days, when nothing goes right. When I’ve been called on the carpet at work, fought with my spouse, and had a call from my kid’s school (not the good kind.) Those are days I want to rush home and hide under the covers. I’m not in any condition to be gentle with myself, let alone others. I’m stuck-plugged up with guilt and condemnation and ready to hand it out to anyone who is available. What to do? There is only one answer that I have found, and I confess it isn’t the one I always choose, at least not at first. In those hard times the only remedy I know is to crawl into the arms of Jesus. To lie back and listen to the words of my Comforter. To draw strength from Him. To dare to come out and believe again. To trust in His goodness, and plan even when I can’t see it.

So how bout you? During this time when emotions run high, and patience low. How will you respond? My prayer is that you will remember that He is watching over you, no matter what hurt you have experienced, or been the cause of. He loves you! Extend the gift of compassion to yourself. Wrap it in a smile and give it away to others-especially those who have wronged you. Remember that at this time of year we celebrate the coming of Jesus. God’s gift to us to restore us to right relationship with Him. Would you dare to trust God to work at restoring your relationships with others? Letting go of past hurts, and exchanging it for the gentleness of forgiveness? Would you receive for yourself God’s greatest gift of compassion: Salvation? Would you allow yourself to be restored to relationship with Him, right now? What would it look like if compassion and gentleness flooded your home and mine this year? What if it saturated everything we said and did in the coming New Year? I confess, it seems like a pretty tall order. Maybe it’s safer to stay hidden under the covers of condemnation and guilt. I HOPE NOT, PRAY NOT, BELIEVE NOT! Let this year be the best yet. I dare you.