I’m very blessed to have grown up in a home with parents who made an intentional effort to create and cultivate a safe and supportive home. But it wasn’t the walls or locked doors that brought about a feeling of safety, it was who my parents were and how they spent their time with me that made me feel supported and safe. Through their grace, I knew I could be honest. Through their humility, I knew I didn’t have to have all the answers. Through their care and support, I knew they loved me no matter what.
Those Christ-like attributes don’t require a home, or even a family, to embody. While I don’t have kids of my own, I look at the way Jesus practiced hospitality as he went…village to village…listening and loving each He encountered. May I be more like Him, quick to listen and slow to speak.
Lord, please help me love first, extending grace and investing in relationships around me so they can experience safety and security that comes only from You.