You and I, just like all of God’s creation, were created to be good in God’s view. Now, if we could only see ourselves in that same way.
Being created “good” does not mean we have to be unfailing. It just means we try our best. Yes, we mess up. Yes, we are less than perfect. Yes, we sin! But yes, God forgives us. And yes, God still loves us. We then learn to forgive ourselves. After all, how can we love and forgive others if we cannot first love and forgive ourselves?
What does it take to make us see that we are good? We can start by looking at that image reflected in the mirror and say to ourselves, either silently or aloud, “I am loved. I am a child of God.” Then, we can look in the mirror every morning and reflect on the opportunities given us that day. We can let the light of Christ shine through us. And we can make a ritual of remembering that God loves us just the way we are, even if we are not perfect.
This message is excerpted from “Let the light of Christ shine through us every day” by Susan P. Harris from the August 2, 2021, blog of the Women of the ELCA.
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