To be able to look someone in the eye, hold someone’s hand, touch someone’s arm, enfold someone in a hug – and speak words of love and truth, encouragement and affirmation, comfort and beauty, strength and honor into their lives is a gift like no other.
One of my favorite bible verses is the King James’ version of I Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am also known.” While this speaks directly to our ability to truly know and understand the things of God, I think it also speaks to our often false perceptions of the daily “things” in life – – – among them being our limited, man-made, quantitative (and qualitative) assessments of “failure” and “success”.
“It’s not what I say, it’s what I do.”
“Actions speak louder than words.”
“Practice what you preach.”
We’ve all heard these age-old idioms. They all have the same thing in common – words and actions.
The last few months I have watched with interest, with growing bewilderment and perplexity, and now with concern, the display of words and actions our nation’s freedoms allow. The hue of the public dialogue is changing.
Well, it’s Christmas Eve – – the last day to scurry around looking for that last or perfect gift. Then to finish wrapping, baking, traveling . . . today a momma’s day goes by quickly and tiredly.
I’ve been thinking about a gift that, aside from unconditional love and the truth of the Gospel, may be the very best present a momma can give her children: the gift of encouragement.
