Lessons From Mom

My mom rocks. 

(For any of you that know her, can I hear an Amen?!)

My mom, Julie-is the best woman in the world.  I miss her O-SO-MUCH!!  But, missing her isn't what this blog post is about.  This blog post is about a very important principle my Mom taught me.  When my siblings and I were young, she always said, "Impute the highest motive!"

I was only 7 or 8 years old.  I had NO idea what a motive was.  Let alone how to impute a high one!

However, she taught us what it meant through her Christlike example.  She explained that when someone did something that could offend you, it is easy to judge them, get angry, and become offended.  But, she taught us that this way of reacting was unkind, hurtful, and unhealthy. My mother taught us to always be kind.  Instead of judging others when they were rude or offensive, she would try to look at things from their perspective.  She taught us to do the same.

Whenever a car cut her off, or someone made a rude comment, instead of becoming angry or irritated, she would turn to us, smile and whisper, "Impute the highest motive!"  She would then come up with a silly story for that person, perhaps to explain their unkind behavior. "That poor man must be racing to the grocery store because his pregnant wife is craving pickles!  I hope he can find them on sale!"

We would giggle at the tale. As a young child, imputing the highest motive was just a game to see who could come up with the best story of why someone had been rude.

I did not understand the significance of it as a principle until I got older.

In middle school I was awkward.  AWK. WARD.  One particular day, a friend was unkind to me at school.  I remember thinking, "They must be having a rough day at school.  Maybe they failed a test!"  It then hit me-I had imputed the highest motive!  I was so excited!  It actually worked and I was not offended!

Sometimes it is easy to impute the highest motive.  Other times it is difficult.  But I know it changes my attitude and my perspective about the things that happen around me.  A friend of mine, Candace, said to me, "Everyone in this world is doing the very best with what they've got."

Isn't that the truth!  People act according to their circumstances-who are we to judge? 

So, my challenge to all y'all is this:

This week, impute the highest motive-and let me know what happens!

I know you'll see a change in the way you look at others and the way you treat others.

I'm grateful to my mom for teaching me such a valuable life skill.  She is a wonderful mother, teacher and friend.

Thanks Mom!