Soul Food

This week I had a carpet fitter in my house measuring up a room. My son has moaned for years about the cold wooden floor and he even claims to get splinters from it, so it’s time for a carpet. The guy mentioned that his firm are having the busiest time ever. A mixture of home-improvement fever sweeping our city post-lockdown, plus the wear and tear on house carpets after we’ve spent so many months at home 24/7.

It got me thinking. We are often keen to throw a lot of money on home improvements and necessary maintenance. We love the feeling of something new and something we can touch. But what about self-care, what about routine maintenance for our soul?

Sometimes we can afford to be more kind to our souls. The danger is that we often prioritise what looks good externally or what feels fun in the moment. But taking care of our heart will pay dividends for the long-term. Otherwise it can be like painting a rotting window frame: it is wiser to deal with the real issue. 

What can we do? The ladies love spa days – lovely relaxing times chatting with friends. Others try retail therapy. I’ve been desperate for a beer and a chat with my mates in the pub. I’ve just about had enough of meeting a mate in the local park for a stroll in the drizzle.

What about soul therapy? As a Christian I follow Jesus’ teachings, who laid it out clearly:

“what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16). Later, He said finding friendship and peace with God “is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

It’s an encouragement to invest in the right ways, towards the kind of long-lasting soul food which never disappoints.

Be kind to your soul this summer.

IMage Credit: Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash