By Karen Ann Smith of Ludington, Michigan, USA

And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

God views each one of us as having inestimable and equal worth. He wants us to experience wholeness of body, mind, spirit, and relationships. And yet, we all tend to add to the brokenness of life by our attitudes and judgments.

In the early days of my fast food employment, I had a manager I did not like or get along with. I thought she was mean and pushy. These were my judgments of her. It wasn’t until I lashed back that we had opportunity to talk and get to know each other. I wish I had the maturity back then to open discussion without personal barbs. I didn’t even realize that I knew nothing about her or where she was coming from. I could only see my own judgment from my own point of view until we talked about it.

This manager became a dear friend. We discovered that we were both people of faith, though we were from very different faith traditions. I shared some of my writings with her, and she shared with me. I still have a book that she gave me about the Stations of the Cross. It has become a precious keepsake as I remember her.

God graciously gives people gifts and opportunities to do good and to share in God’s purposes. We need to recognize that though we may have different views and backgrounds and may even disagree on issues and how to apply biblical principles to our everyday living, if we are doing our honest best, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can learn from each other and support each other.

Prayer Phrase

“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Romans 13:9).

Spiritual Practice

Healing for Broken Spirits

Begin with quiet prayer. Ask God to help you detect some “sore places” in the body of Christ and God’s creation. Become aware of people who feel separated, wounded, or left out. Reflect on or write a short journal entry of healing words to at least one person who comes to mind. Ask God for words that will touch this person’s broken spirit like healing ointment. Keep this person in your heart and prayers today and act on any ideas that come to bring blessing and wholeness.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.