Help Us To Remember

I recently received this in an Email. It really spoke to me so I wanted to share it with you.

Heavenly Father, help us to remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mom who worked 9 hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do laundry, and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make correct change is a worried 19-year old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans next semester.

Remind us Lord that the scary-looking bum, begging for money in the same spot everyday is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store isles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she just got back last week, this will be the last year they will go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts You give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear.

Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to everyone. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy, and love. (Matthew 5:44)