LET'S LOOK FOR THE GOOD

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

The first time I heard this passage I was a child and my young heart seemed to jump up and down while my soul said: Yes! Yes! Yes!

All these years later, I still experience a strong resonance whenever I hear these words and act upon them.  

I have found myself applying them a lot lately. 

For example, like millions of people, I felt hurt and horror about the attack on the women and children traveling in Mexico near the U.S. border. But my heart was uplifted when I heard about the 13-year old boy who bravely hid his injured siblings, covered them with branches, and walked many miles through the Sonoran desert for help.   

I'm reminded that the beauty, strength, courage, wisdom, and love in that boy are present in all children. These gifts are in you and me and in every one of us. They are in people who don't seem to have knowledge or appreciation of them or the inclination to use their noble qualities. 

Demonstrations of goodness and beauty don't cancel out or change the reality of violence. But they can keep us from sinking into fear, depression, hate, and despair. They can move us toward constructive and loving actions.

Let's look for the good in ourselves, one another, and the world. May seeing it feed our faith, heighten our hope, and deepen our desire to respond to life with courage, compassion, hope, and love...with all that is noble and beautiful in us. 

Yes? Yes? Yes?

Charlene