Attend to yourself

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 “Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate.  Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to everyone. Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” 1 Timothy 4:13-16

Attend to yourself. Paul instructs us on what we should do so that we can stay true to Christ’s path. One item he states is not to “neglect the gift you have”. I know so many people who believe they are not gifted, nor unique, or special. It’s not about succeeding in a sports or music venue. It’s not about being a model or a CEO. The gift you have might be your smile, your laugh, or your openness. It might be sharing pictures you took or telling stories. Your gift is simply about figuring out who you are and doing what you love. The other interesting thing that Paul mentions is to “attend to yourself.” I don’t know how many times I have gotten myself into something and realized that it was not the right path or was burning me out. Sometimes I like foods that aren’t good for me, or I’m lazy and don’t exercise. Paul’s point is that we do have to attend to ourselves, or we won’t be good to anyone else. So say yes to me time, read that book or sleep in the hammock. Attend to yourself on the path…

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