Showing up for ourselves and others

A couple ideas stuck with me after the sermon on self control this past Sunday. The most striking to me being the notion of self control as a form of human flourishing, for self and others. By controlling ourselves we show care for others. By caring for ourselves, we too, show care for others. David Neumann voiced something along the lines of when we produce good fruit, it is because the fruit is being yielded from a healthy tree.

 When we are intentional about how we tend to ourselves, we are acting from a place of self control. Moreover, as we care for ourselves we are sowing the seeds to be well and healthy so that we can be there for others that may need us. This reminds me of something a cycle instructor told us at the end of class, more or less like “thank you for showing up for yourselves! We have to be healthy and strong for those that count on us!”

 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock

Matthew 7:25

 How might you show up for yourself today so that you may be firmly planted and healthy for human flourishing?

-Denia Bradshaw