Choosing to Make Life Work – 31L - APPRECIATING OTHERS

            Appreciate others as you would want them to appreciate you.   This is the beginning of  “Loving your neighbor as yourself.”   I like to say it this way – “Love your neighbor as you would like to be loved.”  Who is your neighbor?  Jesus is clear.   He told the story of The Good Samaritan—going out of your way to help those in need.  How about his urging that we help the widows, the hungry, the poor, those in prison?  And, of course, the very difficult one about loving our enemies. 

            Sometimes those we have the hardest time with are those we work with, those we volunteer with and, yes, of course, those in our family and extended families.  It is amazing what is accomplished in our homes, church and work when we are committed to making the “team” work together.  We do not necessarily have to like everyone but if we are living and working together, it is more satisfying if we practice loving by accepting each other’s efforts and celebrate them. 

            Again, take the time to write down the person’s characteristics you appreciate and the ones you do not like.

By writing these down, it forces us to take a look at what our real feelings are.  As we are committed to each other’s success, we live and work in harmony with one another.  We become active peacemakers and experience the abundant life Jesus said he came to extend to all.