There are plenty of things I would love to change about myself. Part of me would like to spend the next few minutes talking about all of those things. I would love to tell you all of the things that I really really dislike about my body, my personality, my abilities, my skills… I have a list.
I imagine we all do.
I think there is something about being human that causes us to forever look at our own faults.
I could be better, we think over and over.
I could be a better wife. I could be a better mom. I could be a better husband or father. I could be a better friend. I could be better looking. I could be more organized, or funny, or fun to be around…
If I were just… Better.
It keeps entire industries in business. We pay billions of dollars each year trying to help ourselves become the very best versions of ourselves, and yet never feeling like we have ever arrived. We keep sliding the scale of perfection as we look for more ways we could improve.
But deep down… in the realest part of who we are… there is this longing.
There is this deep calls unto deep desire.
We want to know that we are good enough. We want to be seen and appreciated and accepted… not for who we used to be, not for who we could be someday, not for who we are on our best days…
In our imperfections, in our brokenness, on our regular days, we all have a craving…
No matter our age, or race, or religion, or creed.
We all want to be loved just as we are.
And that’s just what True Love does.
While we are skilled at finding our faults, Love sees with a different set of eyes. Love looks for the best. Love overlooks failures. Love says, “You don’t need to change a thing before you’re accepted.” True Love is patient. True Love is kind. True Love does not behave rudely, or seek its own. It isn’t provoked. It thinks no evil. It bears all things. Believes all things. Hopes all things. Endures all things. True Love never fails.
And I think if we remember… if we make the choice to remember…that every one of us have the deep need to be loved in this moment, then we can choose to see each other – just as we are – and we can respond.
Because there is something about having another person look us in the eyes and accept us as we are that tears down every wall.
So maybe this Valentine’s day, we can do just that. We can choose to love one another in a way that would make Love proud.
Hope Unfolding will officially release in stores and online March 15th, 2016, but you can pre-order yours today from your favorite retailer including Amazon, Mardel, Walmart, Target, ChristianBook.com, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and Indigo if you are in Canada, and Koorong in Australia, or any of the other many retailers around the world.
