The Need for Support

I am so thankful the Lord has blessed me with so many fantastic life lessons that I learn from those around me. Lately I have had the opportunity to get to know more about a fantastic sister-in-law I have as we have emailed each other back and forth. Through our conversations my eyes have been opened to the huge need we each have of support. Far too often we find ourselves questioning others and criticising their choices. In reality what we should be doing is questioning ourselves and looking at where we can be better. It is interesting to me how much farther someone can go on a kind word. It's energizing when someone tells you how well you do something and yet so damaging when they remind you of how poorly you may perform in other areas. I find this in the people I talk with at work as well as in myself. If I am told that how poorly I am doing a job and that I need to do better it is very hard for me to focus on actually doing better. Now if I am told how well I am doing and it's made clear what is expected of me and where we have room to do even better I am thrilled to perform. If such is the case why do we feel that pointing out every flaw of others will help them be better where they are struggling.

In Matthew 7:3-5 it says, "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye." Do we find ourselves being so critical of others and paying so much attention to their wrong doings that we are missing a beam in our own eye?

It is amazing to me where love and support will take a person. If only instead of criticising and questioning others we could look at their struggles and think what do I have to offer them? If only we could truly understand that we are ALL children of our Heavenly Father and the goal is to help each other make it back to Him. If only we could judge the action and yet love the person doing the action. It is evident to me that we could all do much better at showing our love and support to those around us. As the song says, "Have I done any good in the world today? ...if not I have failed indeed." We must be sure that we are making great strides to help and assist and give our love and support not only in what we do and say, but also in how we act. It is my hope that as I strive to be a more supportive person that the Lord will inspire me to do His will.