Wobbly Legs
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2
Insight
My oldest daughter attended her first homecoming dance last year. When she came down the stairs in her dress, I had to do a double-take. Where did my little girl go? It seems like only yesterday she attempted to take her first steps. I remember that day.
She pulled herself up and held onto the couch. Then, with her legs wobbling, she grabbed my fingers for support, stood upright, and let go. Madi made her move, and then BLOP! Down she went.
I did what every great dad does: scolded her for not doing it perfectly the first time. I laid into her about being a disappointment. I made sure she knew how Molly down the street, who was only nine months old, was already strolling around the house. When she failed again, I threw my arms in the air in utter disgust and stormed out of the room.
Before you call the Department of Social Services on me, know that I'm not serious. No one in their right mind would act that way. It's an absurd, over-the-top response. We recognize it's unreasonable to expect a baby whose learning and doing their best not to fail.
Yet, when we're dealing with adults, people who are works in progress just like us, we're stingy with the grace we dispense. We provide little to no room for growth amid failure. Any chance of displaying patience goes out the window.
We trade in the kid gloves for a pair of boxing gloves and start throwing relational punches. Gentleness gets replaced by gruffness. Pride trumps humility.
For good measure, we craft stories about the other person that justifies our response. But, unfortunately, if we can make ourselves feel we're in the right, it only amplifies the other person's wrongs, adding fuel to our fire.
But what if the shoe was on the other foot? We tried to walk like Christ on our wobbly legs, and BLOP... we fell. Our words, actions, or even our indifference or carelessness, hurt another person. What then? We demand a little bit of understanding and a whole heaping of grace. In other words, we want others to bear with us in love.
The messiness of doing life with flawed individuals is part of being human. It comes with the territory of relationships. Loving others isn't easy and requires persistence, endurance, and grit. For redemption to define our connections, we must bear with one another in love over and over again. When someone falls, we lovingly pick them up and encourage them to try again. We all need a bit of support in our quests to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.
Reflection
In what relationship do you need to change your response to the other individual?
What would it look like to bear with one another in love? What tangible step can you take to live that type of love out today?
Prayer
God, You extend Your hand time and time again when I fall. During those moments when I fall short, You don't criticize me. Instead, You show me grace, forgiveness, and love. You are the God of second chances, and I pray I would display this type of compassion in my relationships. Help me to love others in the ways You love me. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.