Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Soulful Spirituality

“When we open our heart’s experience to each other in trust, we are entering on holy ground where there is no place for comment, criticism, or correction, but only for a response of loving acceptance. On this holy ground God-in-you  is listening to the God-in-the-other.” It is so important to honor the otherness we see in people, rather than seeing them as extensions of ourselves. Each one is a unique individual and as we honor their individuality we may feel challenged in our own way of being. It is good to see how others approach the world from another vantage point, and as we are open to them it has the potential to expand our horizons, de-center our ego, and bring benefit to our soul and spirit. We may find fresh ways of living our life more authentically. Each one of us is a person with our own unique identity and no one can ever know another person fully. This is both a mystery and the loneliness of our individuality. Intimacy comes as we welcome and embrace the other’s difference from us.  When we don’t want to own the undesirable parts of our own selves we often project them on someone else. Instead we need to accept the good and the bad, and not make someone else the scapegoat. The author suggests reflecting on the person closest to us and affirm the parts of them that are different from us.