I used to spend way too much time in my life angry about one thing or another. After being frustrated with managing people, I decided there had to be a better way. I came to realize that people want to be spoken to in a way that makes them feel like they matter. They want to be heard in a way that makes them feel someone is listening. I genuinely care about people but used to wonder why they thought I didn’t have time for them…

Recently I was driving into work when I saw a father and his daughter waiting at the bus stop. I had seen them before; she appears to be around six or seven years of age and her father always accompanies her to the bus stop and waits with her till she boards the bus. Sometimes he stands by himself while his daughter and other waiting children run and play around him. This particular morning was very cold and they were the only ones waiting outside for the bus. The little girl had her arms crossed, trying to keep warm, while her father stood behind her to block the wind. He adjusted her coat to make sure it was zipped to the top and that her hood was snug. Finally, he took off his outer jacket and was wrapping it around his daughter. I knew he must be cold being outside in just a flannel shirt, but his focus was on his daughter. The image of the two of them struck me as an apt visual metaphor of God…