Rant....Love Distorted
Love comes in many forms...we say it so often , and for so many reasons, it becomes diluted and distorted. No wonder we are confused. A special some one walks in a room, a baby giggles, a favorite song, a friend or family remembers you with a kindness, God & country....all warm and fuzzy. When and where do we learn it? When or how do we unlearn it? Or do we?
Well, personally, the first lessons were unconditional parental love....not everyone gets that, but that was my experience. My other unconditional love lesson was suppose to be from my church, but that's where it got a little murky. Started out okay, I guess. I always felt loved, safe, and accepted by God and my church family, sang "red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in his site", and generally felt like we were all on the same page about the loving each other thing. Since I was also very socially aware of my world in the 1960's, thanks again to my parents, I started to notice some discrepancies. My youth leader was telling racially hateful jokes in class, and my Mom was harassed, in a nice "church lady" sort of way, when I brought a black male friend from high school to share his incredible voice with us for a Sunday service. Okay, that was the unlearn part for me....no more love of church and it's distorted message. God and I are okay though.
Stay with me here....free association is a wonderful thing. All of this started with my attempt to make sense of the extreme, zealot-like thinking and behaviors of some of my fellow Americans. (This is true in other countries and religions as well.) Where's the love? Why the judgmental attitudes, and the ignoring of common decency and kindness? Did they unlearn love somewhere along the way? You can love God and country, but not have compassion for your fellow earth mates? Or for the earth for that matter? This is why God and I are still okay....I don't actually believe these crazy people even care that they don't get it, and I'm sure they would say I'd be burning in hell about now. I don't pretend to a LOVE expert, but..... pure and simple, we were told that LOVE is the most important thing there is, and if we were listening and practicing it, the world would be a different place....just saying!
Oh tell it, honey. Yes it would. I have been reading a book that jumped off the shelf and fell at my feet at the used bookstore a week or so back. It's called "I Am With You Always." It's stories from people who swear they have encountered Jesus. The notable thing is that all He has to say is just what you've said above. Love. Love is it. Everything else arises out of that one truth, that love is the most important thing. And yes, how that would change our world. Thanks for writing this. I always, always need the reminder.
ReplyDeleteI love your soul Lynette...truly I do!
DeleteThat was well done, dear heart! I will not let the bigots keep me from my church family and the inspiration I get there; the bigots are where they should be as Jesus ate with the tax collectors and sinners so He could say, "follow me". And the Bible does tell us" and the greatest of these is love " from the 13th chapter of I Corinthians. You have the right heart and I'm so proud of you.
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