Daily Devotion- Monday- March 29

I am a peacemaker…I like that role. It is part of who I am.  I remember as a child, my mother would tell me that I stood up for people too much and that I always made excuses for their bad behavior. I tried to make sense of WHY they would do what they did.  
 
I tend to try to see things from other's standpoint and walk a mile in their shoes.  I know what it is like to be the odd-one-out and I know what it's like to be in an inclusive group.
 
I think it's good to have empathy-to try to see things from a perspective that is not your own.  I know where this came from.  I am an Adult Child of an Alcoholic and a first-born child in a family.   Bad combo, maybe, but I believe that through lots of work on myself and God's grace, it has worked to my advantage.  When you don't always know what to expect, you are able to adjust your expectations accordingly.  None of us are perfect, and we tend to expect that of others...or at least close to perfection. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes forces you to admit your imperfections and also allows you to cut another some slack.  It is not always successful and not always well-received, but it is worth it to try to do so.  It can be freeing for all parties involved.
 
We are called by Christ to be Peacemakers.  Can we make the effort to try to see things from another’s perspective in the coming days?  -Meghan