unintentional hurts

I am coming to believe that life is full of unintentional hurts.  Sure there are intentional hurts:  someone robs you, someone is bullied, someone does not take responsibility for their actions.  But even in many of these situations, the people that are causing the hurting are acting out of their own brokenness or fear.

I think of the wounds inflicted by my parents.  I know that they would not intend to hurt their children, they were doing what they knew to do, they were doing what the culture at the time told them was ok, they were acting out of their own brokenness.

And I wonder if I have hurt my children- unintentionally.  I called one of my kids the other day and I told them that I loved them and that I never want them to think of me as I think of my parents [sometimes.]  There are many unintentional hurts that show up in this life.  Everyone delivers them.  If you don't think that you do, I would encourage you to think again.

The beginning of ending unintentional hurts is to think and pray about what we are doing and why.  Why am I driving like this?  Why am I talking like this?  Why do I feel the need to say this to someone?  When we stop and think about what we are doing and how it might affect others, we have a good chance to reduce unintentional hurts, and that can only be a good thing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.