Message: “Moving From Criticism to Encouragement” from Matthew Dyer

In this fifth week in the series, we look at the role of friendship.

Related Topics: community, family, friendship, loving others, loving yourself, neighbor, relationships | More Messages from Matthew Dyer | Download Audio

From Series: "Recentering"

esus has given us a vision of unending hope for the world—a world where everyone is loved and treated as sacred; where we treasure the earth, and look out for the interests of others. This vision drives our commitment to justice. It motivates our efforts to love and include others, to resist the forces of oppression, and to tread lightly on our planet. And this vision includes each of us as well! We too are sacred treasures who bear the divine image. God is love, and we long to be and feel loved, to be renewed and refreshed in God’s complete, unconditional acceptance and peace. We each need the same compassion and care that we extend to others. This series will focus on taking care of ourselves. Rather than selfishness or self-absorption, this self-care is respect and compassion for our own humanity, and an honest acknowledgement that we have finite limits. With each day, the ongoing pandemic and bellicose polarization within our culture exact a sinister toll on our emotional wellbeing. As we struggle for justice or feel the weight of oppression bearing down on us, we can often feel we have nothing more to give. So each week we will explore simple, everyday practices that can help us return to the unconditional, accepting love of God, and immerse ourselves in its renewing power. We’ll do this without guilt, accepting our own immeasurable value, and knowing that taking care of ourselves means we’ll be more able to love and help others as we follow Jesus’ vision to heal the world.