There are a lot of things that are sacred in this world, but the most sacred are relationships.

Sacred stones, sacred places, sacred homes may have special meaning, but that which is most sacred lies within our relationships.

And it is just that: “within” our relationships. It’s the unspoken words – it’s the silence when there could be criticism. It’s the patient endurance when there could be vicious outbursts of angry temper.  It’s withholding the comment, whether written or said, in order to protect the other person.

Protecting the sacred may be not speaking to a loved one about their failings. We all carry baggage into adulthood and probably quite a lot of that is related to our parents. The scale of what our parents did right and wrong, hopefully should be balanced or if we are particularly blessed should lean towards the right. But for many the scale tips awkwardly and dangerously to the wrong side of behaviour and parenting. It can leave deep scars in the lives of those who have been on the receiving end. Not only that, the errors of our parents, the hurt they may have caused us can result in great pain towards them when THEY reach old age.

Mature adults lambasting their parents, often in front of them and others – dragging their actions from 40 years ago through the mud – telling them how awful they were and how much hurt they caused; how badly they did as parents. This should not be. I’m sure most of our parents are fully aware of their failings. To have their weaknesses or shortfalls continually raised is shattering that which is sacred.

I have been partially guilty. For years I described in unkind detail some of my parents shortfalls. Gratefully, I never told them how I felt.

There are few loves in this world that run as deep as the love a parent has for a child. If nothing else, my parents loved me.

Perspective is everything. As parents, we too will make mistakes and give cause for future criticism from those we love.

It all comes down to doing the best that you can at the time.

We hold in our hands the ability to protect that which is sacred.

It is not only with our parents that we protect that which is sacred.

It is also with others who have wronged us.

This is one of the hardest acts to perform.

Letting it go. Putting behind you the hurt, the betrayal & the pain caused by the foolishness of others. Some of those others may be family or close friends, fellow Christians, work colleagues.

When you forgive them and move on – you protect what is sacred – God’s command to forgive one another.

Ephesians 4:31-32 spells it out…

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

What got me started on this blog in the first place was thinking about work colleagues and how in order to create a healthy fantastic work relationship between everyone, we need to protect what is sacred. That means no gossiping, no bad-mouthing one another, no talking behind one’s back. It means protecting each other, being kind and considerate; encouraging one another and always doing what is best for each other.

That’s protecting what is sacred.

#91 of 1000 thanks is that the water is running again. I am grateful!

These are the days!

Keep the smile going!

God bless you!

In His Grip,

Helga xx 🙂