Thursday, February 26, 2009

Loving One Another



I've done so many things wrong (something inside me wants to scream, "but I've done so many things right!" -pretend I didn't say that).

We are all the same. We try to live the best lives we can. We strive to know who this God is and what she wants and how we can be. We are all the same.

That is the base of our love for one another. Not pointing out how we are different, not pointing out how we are trying differently. But, that we are trying.

Loving one another is like a magnet that pulls us together. Hmmm, interesting that it is opposite poles of the magnet that does the pulling. We must encourage each person we know to continue their reaching for God. It may look different to us. It may even make us uncomfortable. But if they are reaching for this One, love says, "Keep going". Words of critisim and judgement toward a person is like screaming at them, "You'll never get there!"

How about instead we help create a wide space for our friends to explore and discover. Oh, I know some who read this will immediately say I'm allowing for people to believe anything. No, I'm not allowing anything. I'm trying to say there has been too much pain and seperation caused by saying, "you're wrong, you can't do that".

Love does not repel. Love pulls in. Love attracks. Love draws close.

(Sometimes I get so frustrated with my inability to articulate what is in my heart. I end this because all I have right now are tears)

2 comments:

Kim Becker said...

Unfortunately our love will only be made complete when we are joined with Her in heaven forever. Here on earth, we will always struggle to be but a shadow of Her love. But it's worth the struggle. Keep going Cathy!

amy said...

We don't "allow" anyone to believe anything. We don't control what people believe. We can, and must, speak the truth. We can, and must, live as faithfully as possible, giving embodied testimony of the gospel.

Jesus simply speaks truth, in word and deed. In the same way, the church is a living sacrifice, an embodied prophecy, that speaks of the plan of God.

We don't have authority over the minds and hearts of others. We don't have the authority to "allow" others to believe. They either do or they don't. The church's responsibility is to tell the truth.