And The Greatest Of These…Is Love

Confession:

I don’t know about you, but my heart is not only broken but also very upset to see the hate, destruction, and division our country is facing…all of this along with a health pandemic.

This is very saddening to many who like me are idealists and constantly crave a state of utopia-a fairytale dream to some.

I’m the typical flower child-peacemaker at heart who tries to see the positive or wholesome side of everything I view or hear.

But as I’m becoming more aware of the physical, emotional, and civic upheaval our country is going through, I can feel my IDEALIST bubble ready to pop.

The reality is…there are civil groups and protestors out there that are not only expressing their disapproval of injustice but are using this platform to sound off their anger, fear, and unhappiness… with destruction, hate, and division. The truth is, that blaming others for our troubles is not only deceptive but it can lead to not accepting the part we play and learn from our mistakes .

The Good News:

There are more American citizens who are respectful, loving, tolerant, and peace loving than what the news mediums portray. I choose to listen to and read positive content which has been proven to be healthy for the mind, the body, and the spirit.

I have also chosen to manifest Love towards others, because I’ve embraced GOD’S GRACE into my heart. He’s my power source, my instigator of unity. Love, instead of hate, will always be the result of manifesting Grace to our neighbor.

1 John 4:20-21 says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

How can God’s Grace show up during these challenging times when we are tempted to judge and find disgust with the doings of others? How can we fly above the hate and social disrespect of our times?

The answer is, we are to love the unlovable. It’s pretty easy to love those who speak well of us, those who love us, and those who respect us. Loving those who don’t deserve it can be hard. Only God’s Grace (unmerited favor) understood can help us love when it’s tough.

But what better example of the Grace of God bestowed on us by Jesus- He still offered mercy to the unlovable and hateful of His time, that after being excessively beaten, ridiculed, spit on, and ultimately crucified on the cross of Calvary, He still said, “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what there are doing.” -Luke 23:34

Choosing the way of LOVE during these challenging times is not always easy, especially when the temptation to judge, criticize, and misunderstand other’s motives is so relevant. Let’s be the bigger person by being an example of God’s Grace within a crooked and perverse generation. Yes, we can still support just causes, voice our concerns, and communicate our Godly perspectives but never from a Pharisaic or legalistic point of view. Grace in the form of Mercy is the way.

So, how can we shower Mercy to those that don’t deserve it? We’ve all been bestowed with Grace from above by the Creator of LOVE. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, it says, “And now these three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love; but the greatest of these is LOVE.” From God’s perspective, “Love covers a multitude of sins”. That’s what He did for us, so let’s shower it to others.

– LET’S CHOOSE THE WAY OF LOVE-