What About Love?

Come hear me good brothers come here one and all
Don’t brag about standing or you’ll surely fall
You’re shinin’ your light yes and shine if you should
You’re so heavenly minded and you’re no earthly good

Come here me good sisters you’re salt of the earth
If your salt isn’t salted then what is it worth
You could give someone a cool drink if you would
You’re so heavenly minded and you’re no earthly good
~Johnny Cash

I mean, really, how do you win a fight with someone who picks it just because you have a certain color of skin? or because you are a certain gender? or because you believe something different than they do? And so because of one, or all of the above, they just decide you are toxic- not worthy of their time or attention. Because you do not see the world the way they see it, or do things the way they do it, you may as well be invisible- dismissed from their presence as someone not just of no value, but worse; you are someone who needs to be disposed of. They will not be found in your presence- not because you have ever done them wrong, or done anyone wrong. In fact, in many ways, you have done your best to love them and to reach out to them in times of need. But, because you are different- or because you no longer have the same beliefs as them, you are now someone to stay away from. Hmmm…

This happened to me today. Someone I love decided I was no longer worthy to be in their presence. Though I tried to put the hurt and pain aside and bring happiness to those who remain in my life, but the stress of it brought on a headache. Resting on the sofa after making a fun Mexican dinner for the family, my husband bid me to hasten back into the kitchen. My youngest daughter was having seizure.

We laid her on the floor, and called out to the God who has never left us nor forsaken us; He heard my cry… my paradigm shift has never affected his love for me- in fact, he is the one who has given me the shift, that I might grow in my spirit and be more compassionate and open to the world about me.

Seems odd to me that we come from the same God, pray to the same God, love the same God, but cannot be together, because we do not see things from the same view point.

I think about love. So many religious people say that love is paramount. How did Christ love? He loved those who did not see the way he saw. He loved those who were sinners. He loved those who followed him and those who did not. He loved all. He went to the cross to prove the lengths he would go to for love- “Greater love has not man than he who lays down his life for his friends.” Christ loved even the one who betrayed him, calling him friend. Christ did not avoid people to save his own soul. He loved people and laid down his own life.

Some people are afraid; they are afraid to love too much. Is there really such a thing in a world of so much hate and turmoil?

I think we would get a lot further in this world, if people would quit trying to prove they are the right; if people would just be honest enough to admit, we are all in the same boat together, and none of us, NO ONE knows everything and the everything some of us think we know, may very well not be true at all. If we could just decide, I am going to LOVE – everyone, all the time! No matter what!

That is what Christ did.

People followed him, not so much because of what he said, but because of how he made them feel– loved, accepted, wanted. He taught them, and they took his lessons because they FIRST felt his LOVE!

Christ taught that in the end he would recognize his, not by what they believed, or achieved; Not by how many people they influenced or pointed to him; But by how they treated others- by how they LOVED!