I’m an idealist. I believe in the Biblical standard, “Love your neighbor as yourself”.
I don’t care if your skin is black, brown, white—or a funky “Sunset Orange” from the tanning booth. Pigment does not make the person; God does—and each one is created to be unique and beautiful.
You might vote as a registered Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian in November. And, gasp, in a season like this, you may decide no vote is better than any vote. I won’t allow differences of political conviction to sever relationships–even if we strongly disagree with each other
Are you a Buddhist? A Muslim? An atheist? Well…I’m a Christian and I’m going to love you enough to tell you about my Jesus….to raise your name up to heaven before the One who I know is the Way—because I care about where you spend the life after this one. What sort of friend would I be if I refused to live my faith out loud because of my own fear of rejection?
In this splintered, broken world people murder each other in cold blood because of prejudice…hatred…and unbridled, misdirected emotion absent of rational thought.
In a world of people crying out for peace, rogue policemen steal the breath of innocent men because they are draped in the beautiful, bronzed skin God gave them. An embittered man destroys five heroic souls who proudly wear the color blue–an emblem signifying a willingness to stand in the gap for those they serve.
Terrorists fill our streets with the blood of their hatred and the world shrinks back in fear—uncertain of the future and dreading the next brutal attack.
It seems the world has gone mad. It’s been ripped off its axis and sent spinning into a black hole of war and anarchy.
I want to remind my heart and yours…God is not pacing in His throne room.
He knows the beginning from the end. The evil and suffering in the world do not go unnoticed and soon—perhaps much sooner than we think—the Lion of Judah will return for His people.
Until then, we who already know Jesus must love others. How else can a groaning earth and aching people have any hope? Any chance of experiencing Christ? Any promise of eternal life unless we who know the Truth follow His example and just…love…others.
Scripture for Reflection
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. (1 Cor. 13:13 MSG)
Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” (John 13:35 MSG)
I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple. (2 Timothy 4:2 MSG)
