It happened more than I care to admit last week. I was talking to a friend about a hard season. “Have you talked to someone?” I asked. And encouraged it. I was talking to a beloved about sore joints. “Have you thought about some yoga?” I asked, pointing to the value of stretching. I was talking to another beloved about the comments that people leave in response to news stories shared on Facebook. “Don’t read them,” I said.

I could continue to scroll back through my memory for all those moments of offering opinions on things I know nothing about and suggestions I’ve demonstrated an unwillingness to follow.

Historically, I have limited willingness to talk with people about my hard seasons. Every day before and after I run, I am completely unwilling to stretch. And I am complicit in reading the ungrounded opinions of others and both shaking my head AND allowing them to shape my heart.

“Friends, we can do better.”

That’s what I just started to say to you. But even that is a suggestion that I may not be willing to follow. So, let’s start here instead.

“I was reading Psalm 73 the other day. I was intrigued and convicted. I’ll offer something more when I’ve thought for awhile.”