Affirmation: I am imperfect and I am enough.
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Ponder and Personalize: As you cement this verse to memory, read it over again. Today ponder the phrase: “…keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”
Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
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Reading for Today
Walk in Grace. Live in Love. by Bob Goff
February 28
WHENEVER I THINK l'VE GOT SOMEONE PEGGED, I REMEMBER l'M ONLY SEEING HALF.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
COLOSSIANS 3:1-3
A while back I had a problem with my sight in one eye. It required a couple of surgeries to fix. Afterward, they gave me an eye patch to wear. I was so pumped to finally be a pirate. Wearing it somehow made a lot of sense for a guy who holds meetings on Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland each week.
You would think an eye patch would limit my sight, and I guess technically it did. But it also enabled me to see in a different way. What my eye patch gave me was a lot of perspective. It helped me realize something I'd missed when both my eyes worked. It's this: the way I usually see things is usually only half the picture.
When I see someone lashing out in anger, I'm only seeing the half they've disclosed in their big show of frustration. What I don't see is the thing underneath the waving arms, the raised voice, and the grimace. In the moment, it's hard to see the other half-the beautiful and loving and terribly insecure person who is the other half buried underneath. When someone is incredibly kind or generous, that's not the whole story either. There's another half to see. Perhaps it's trying to receive validation from someone who withheld love. Maybe there is some deep hurt only they know. It could just as easily be that they had experienced extravagant love and wanted to pass some along. When we're tempted to judge someone for their behavior or think that other person has it easy and all together, put on an eye patch to get some much needed perspective. You're probably only seeing half-and that's rounding up.
When you see faults in others, go a little easier on them. The same applies to you. Don't be so hard on yourself when you blow it, okay? And if you catch yourself overstating the good you've done, do a little bit less of that. Deal? If you're beating yourself up over a mistake or thinking you're the best thing since sliced bread, put on an eye patch and look in the mirror. Your failures and successes are only half the picture. The other half is love, and it'll outlast everything else you'll ever achieve or fail at.
Who are you being a little too hard on these days?
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