This morning I struggled to see clearly. I was making a smoothie for breakfast but couldn’t find the part to blend it. The most important piece was sitting right in front of me, but I failed to locate it. This same thing happens when I search for something in the refrigerator. As my mother would say, “If it was a snake, it would have bit me.”
Doesn’t this explain some of the trouble we have in our lives today? We have so much in front of us, we can’t find the important piece within the mess. It’s like looking for Waldo in a crowded picture . . . but it’s not a game. When we become overwhelmed with the worries in our lives, anxiety sets in. All the small stuff (and some big stuff) gets rerun in our minds at night. We can’t turn off the tape in our heads. Restful sleep evades us.
When I see a patient in my practice who’s troubled by anxiety, I typically will ask them at some point in our conversation what they’re doing to care for themselves. Usually, the answer is a response like “I don’t have time . . . I have so much to do.” Then I ask as a follow-up question, “What can you take off your plate right now? Do you have five minutes each day just to meditate and let your mind relax?” Even the busiest people can fit this practice into their schedule while they work to downsize their daily agenda.
To recognize the most important piece in our lives, first we must get rid of the minutiae.
I struggle with this constantly, especially with my writing. Every little thing will distract me from my goal. I must discipline myself to sit down at my computer and type. Once I start, the words come out and pages are written. But I must filter out all the extraneous distractions to accomplish this important task.
In Jesus’ day, an observant Jew was required to follow over 600 commandments. How could they possibly succeed? When one of the teachers of the law asked Jesus which of the commandments was the most important, He answered this way:
“The most important command is this: ‘Listen people of Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second command is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ There are no commands more important than these.”
Mark 12:28-31
Let these words of Jesus sink into your mind.
The most important piece is love.
Love God with your whole being and love others as yourself. But don’t miss this. To love others, you must first learn to love yourself. This means caring for yourself as the precious treasure you are to God.
On a plane, the flight attendant tells you to put on your oxygen mask first then help your neighbor. This instruction is for good reason. You can’t help the person beside you if you don’t first care for yourself. In the same way, when we let the worries of this world weigh us down and allow our mental and physical well-being to wane, we’re of no use to others.
This morning, I eventually found all the equipment I needed to make my smoothie. It was a healthy start to my morning and tasted great. Self-care is the best way to show that I love myself. When I keep my mind and body healthy while holding distractions at bay, then I have the energy and time to love God and others well. For after all, love is the most important piece in my life.
