No Fear

Religion:  I messed up, my Mom/Dad is going to kill me!

Childhood:  I messed up, I want my Mom/Dad!

                     FB Meme, adapted

 

See what love God has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.

                     I John 3:1

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we are called

as those who would live our divine image

to walk a challenging path

 

a path of sacrifice and service

 

a path walked not so much for ourselves,

so that we might win or overcome,

but so that we might contribute to the common good.

 

we are ask to give extravagantly

forgive persistently

welcome openly

 

we are asked to feel the pain of others

to open our eyes to inequity

to fight for justice

 

who in their right mind would choose to live this way

in world where

the one with the most toys wins

and winning is everything

and obscene wealth is worshipped

 

who would choose service and generosity

in world of domination and accumulation?

 

only those who are loved, can thus love

 

this is not a path that can be sustained through fear

fear of punishment

fear of disapproval

fear of eternal torment

 

this is not the path of

“if you were to die today, where would you spend eternity”

or

“that hurricane happened because God was angry at your sin”

 

this is the path that can only be taken by those

who know they are loved

loved unreservedly,

loved unequivocally

loved unconditionally

 

it is within the safety of love

that we ourselves can love

(we love because God first loved us – Also 1 John)

 

love is the “how” of the path to the cross

love is the “why” of the path to the cross

love the way to the cross

 

and love is also the way to newness of life

and radical living

 

no fear