Healing becomes the opportunity to pass off to another human being what I have received from the Lord Jesus; namely his unconditional acceptance of me as I am, not as I should be. He loves me whether in a state of grace or disgrace, whether I live up to the lofty expectations of His gospel or I don't. He comes to me where I live and loves me as I am.
When I have passed that same reality on to another human being, the result most often has been the inner healing of their heart through the touch of my affirmation. To affirm a person is to see the good in them that they cannot see in themselves and to repeat it in spite of appearances to the contrary. Please, this is not some Pollyanna optimism that is blind to the reality of evil, but rather like a fine radar system that is tuned in to the true, the good, and the beautiful. When a person is evoked for who s/he is, not who s/he is not, the most often result will be the inner healing of her heart through the touch of affirmation.
Finally sisters and brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Phil. 4:8
- Brennan Manning from "The Furious Longing of God", pp. 82-83. David C. Cook Publisher, 2009.