Wow, you guys were very nice to me on yesterday’s post! Not one of you said fat, sassy or procrastinating, and for that I thank you.
Nor did anyone say “shameless-poster-of-cute-kid-photos-in-order-to-win-friends-and-influence-people-and-garner-praise-in-the-form-of-comments.”
Because that’s more than one word.
And that would be cheating.
Truly, though, you were very nice and it was incredibly humbling and encouraging and life-affirming. I should be such a friend to you. I should be so encouraging.
Because we need it.
It’s a very good thing to be encouraged. It’s also a good thing to be humble, however, and as Christians we must walk a fine line between being little and being praised. I hesitated to do this “one word” meme because—let’s be honest, here—it could be seen as an obvious bid for compliments. My husband said, “Well, yeah. Did you think that they’d say mean things?”
This is the same guy who, when told what this blog’s stats were, replied, “So that’s like, what? .000005% of the blog-reading population?”
I love my husband (as well I ought). He keeps things in perspective.
Yet I had had a very hard couple of days—the kind of weekend where Despair comes knocking and Hope seems to be on vacation. And while I didn’t let Despair in, exactly, I did press my ear against the door to give a listen to what It had to say.
Despair is not as nice as you are.
Despair says a lot of very mean things.
Despair finds fault and criticizes. Despair closes shades and snaps off the light. Despair says you will never be as good a writer, photographer, cook, homeschooler, or mom as she is.
So just stop trying.
Can you relate to what I’m saying? Are you a sanguine/melancholic like me? Well, the truth is, you don’t need to be. We are all of us vulnerable to the lies of Satan, who is—as you may well have figured—the mastermind behind Despair.
Enter “grace” in the form of friendship. Enter grace in the form of Love.
Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom,
lead Thou me on.
The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
Today may we be a light to others.
And may we admit it—humbly, hat in hand—when we are floundering in the darkness.
All for the greater glory of God,
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