Dear Ones,
Hope you live authentically today! I plan to go to Exercise class and Crafts and later soup supper and Lenten service. The weather is so lovely and sunny that it seems like spring. We enjoy our walks and soon we can walk the Paul Bunyan trail again.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
How many choices do we make based on what others may think of us rather than how we really feel? Have there been times we are silent and go along with the majority rather than to speak our conscience and the risk of rocking the boat? When we are more concerned with the approval of others, we will soon find ourselves miserable, for our true validation doesn’t come from them but from the Lord. What matters is that we know God loves us and we are worthy because we are His child.

If we don’t live a life based on what we believe, we violate our own integrity; how much better to live life that is consistent with our values? Sometimes that means it could cost us our job, a relationship, and even our life, but how much wiser to live with consistency of our convictions! Our identity is in the Lord and we need to reflect on that, not what others think of us.

Mary must have found her identity in Jesus, for she wasn’t concerned about the opinions of others, even her sister Martha’s, but sat at Jesus feet and received from Him. It was not proper in that day for a woman to sit with the men and discuss, but she didn’t feel shame. She listened to Jesus and let His love and forgiveness soak in to her being, rather than seeking approval from others.

When we base our worth on what others think, we often lie to ourselves to try to preserve self-esteem. We want others to have a positive image of us, so we say what we think others would want us to say. Soon we find we feel distant from God and others, for we are not living truthfully. But we can learn to speak truth and do it with respect and honesty as we weigh our words. David learned after confessing the sin he had tried to cover up that the Lord delights in truth in his inward being. (Psalm 51:6)

Challenge for today: Draw your worth from the Lord and live authentically, speaking truth from your heart.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy