Ugh, Jesus. He
always seems to be showing up when I want him to politely keep out of my
business.
Nadia
Bolz-Weber
___________________________
Ugh, Love
Yeah, I know, love is cool!
There is the love that shines through
As the sun rises, brilliant, pink, orange, and yellow
God’s grandeur
There is the love that sings in the river that flows
Through the rocks
and in the wind rushing through the trees
There is the love reflected in mountains high
And valleys low
There is the intense love of a mother deer for her fawn
And the love of an aged horse, nuzzling me over a gate
Love is warm, comforting, healing
But love is also intrusive and demanding
Because love, if it is really love
Takes us outside of ourselves
When we love we see
Everything
We see the beauty
But we also see the pain
We feel, everything
The joy, the exultation
The fear, the hate, the anguish
When we love we are not allowed
To think only of ourselves
But also of all those who are placed in our path
More
All those who inhabit this planet earth
And love impels us
To thus move beyond ourself
Yes, Love fills us
With hope, joy, and peace
but we cannot contain
what we received
it is beyond our understanding
it is more than we can ask or imagine
love overflows
it spills out
when we try to contain it
hold it
keep it
it spoils, it dries up, it dies
it is no longer love
love must be shared, given, expended
love shows up and things change
love shows up, and there goes the hate
love shows up and there goes greed
love shows up and our power and privilege must be
redirected
away from ourselves
and used for the benefit of others
(sell all you have and give to the poor)
Love, the Beatles sang, is all we need
Indeed
What would it look like if we took that seriously
If we took Jesus seriously
Love God
Love your neighbor
Love yourself
What would it look like if we voted Love?
Treated the planet with love
Welcomed the stranger with love
Saw those different from with the eyes of love
Used our money with love (not lust)
Responded to hate with love?
It would look like Jesus
It would look like giving, and compassion, and
forgiveness
It would look like kindness
And welcome
Inclusion
Ugh!
Hallelujah!
Ouch!
Yay!
Love can hurt
It can cost
But is the most powerful, amazing, rewarding gift
It is our superpower
It is why we are here
To love
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