Reflecting Inward First

As is the monthly tradition at my church, communion was taken today toward the end of our service. I find communion to be a very beautiful and mysterious activity, one which I feel is shared amongst myself and fellow believers surrounding me yet is also a very private and real moment of reflection and thanksgiving between me and God. Our time of communion today followed the pastor's message on the beginning of the book of Jonah. I was very touched by his teaching today because he really helped me make some personal connections to a story that had always seemed a little bit distant to me. (God calls Jonah to take a message to the evil city of Ninevah. Jonah doesn't want to go, runs from God, is thrown overboard, and is swallowed by a giant fish. Jonah realizes the mistake he has made in running from God's calling in his life and is given another chance.) As the pastor spoke, he helped me realize that virtually everyone has run from God in some form or fashion at one point or another in their lives. This combination between the message and a time of reflection in communion really made me think. It is so easy for us as humans to locate the flaws in another's character. "I can't believe he told a lie right to my face!" or "She really has no control over her words. I can't believe she said that." Yet just as I recently reminded my students, when you are pointing at someone else, you have four fingers pointing back at you. Today reminded me that it should be my priority to recognize areas in my life that I can improve on instead of sweeping them under the rug or worrying about anyone else. We can't ignore them and keep running away from this recognition. I also don't think we should be ashamed that we each have areas of weakness or ugly places in our lives that need fixing. The older I get and the more of life I live, the more I realize that people who act like they have it all together 100% of the time are just really good actors. We are all human and I am deciding that I am going to be real. I'm going to reflect inward first and not pretend that it's all perfect. I'm going to find those places that needs His refining and let the beautiful work begin...