Secure your mask

As I was seated and ready for takeoff, the stewardess approached the front of the plane. Usually, this is the part of the flight where I am already pages deep into my book and can’t be bothered listening to the mundane safety speech; that at this point of my life I could repeat verbatim. But for whatever reason on this early morning flight, I put my book down, and listened. As the young stewardess motioned her hands about, the other stewardess’ voice over the loudspeaker directed her to the next move. 

She grabbed the face mask and lightly placed it over her delicate face as the voice over the loudspeaker said, “Place the mask over yourself before trying to help others.” Now, I heard this speech hundreds of times, but in that moment those words etched my heart. Oxygen masks on planes are to be used when the level of oxygen in the cabin atmosphere drops below a safe level. 

As I sat there meditating on the words “place the mask over yourself before trying to help others” I remembered the scripture Matthew 22:39, “You shall love thy neighbor as yourself.” As modern-day disciples of Jesus, we are commanded to love one another but we are also commanded to love thyself. I can only speak for myself, but in that moment, I thought about how at times I am more fixated on the broken lives around me than my own heart, mind, and soul. This imbalance causes a devastating entrance for the lies of the enemy to sashay their way into the heart, mind, and soul of man. So, the speech I had heard so many times impressed upon me a new way of thinking. I pray that I first seek the kingdom of God to provide the breath I need to restore myself, so that in return, I can fully love thy neighbor.