LEANING

“To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings.” ~ Mary Baker Eddy

After years of hiking with a bad hip, I grew accustomed to leaning–to the right when I hiked, to the left when I stood in place–in any way that helped ease the pain. My hip has now been replaced and I am largely pain-free, yet I find that I often continue to lean, favoring my bad hip when it is no longer necessary.

Noticing this tendency led me to consider other ways I might be leaning, simply out of habit, comfort, caution, obliviousness, or complacency. Here are just a few…

I lean toward routine, away from spontaneity. I lean toward reading books or listening to podcasts that support my own beliefs and biases and lean away from considering opinions that differ from mine. I lean away from large social gatherings with unfamiliar people. I lean toward seeking God in nature more than in ordinary moments or encounters. I lean toward passivity and lean away from assertiveness, toward insecurity and away from confidence. I lean toward self-determination and away from reliance on others.

In all the ways I lean, it is my hope that I may lean toward the loving ways of God.

May I lean toward kindness, peace, generosity, justice, love, humility, mercy, and graciousness. May I lean away from self-centeredness, pride, closed-mindedness, apathy, criticism, and other ways in which I am not living in love. May I lean into the winds that challenge and test me but can then perfect me. May I lean away from the comfortable ways that entice me, but then keep me distracted and dormant.

And it is my greater hope that if I may lean more fully on God, I will actually walk more uprightly in God.

My child, if you accept my words
    and treasure up my commandments within you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding,
if you indeed cry out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures—
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
guarding the paths of justice
    and preserving the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path,
for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
prudence will watch over you,
    and understanding will guard you.

Proverbs 2:1-11, NRSV

(Photos by Karen; Bible verses found at https://www.biblegateway.com/)