The world is changing and nothing seems assured. Over the last several months it seems tragedy has struck on every hand leaving us with mouths wide open. A U.S. soldier is accused of killing Afghan civilians in cold blood—including women and children. It is said he went back to the same village planning to kill more but he was apprehended. Drugs overwhelmed the life of a great voice and no matter how hard we rooted for her comeback Whitney just wouldn’t shake the habit. A dear sister of mine who’d battled cancer died (we love you Natalie) in spite of our prayers. Currently the T.V. is splattered with images of 17-year-old, unarmed Trayvon Martin who was shot and killed just minutes from his home on his way back from the store. His killer has not been arrested. And no matter how hard we wish it did not or what kind of denial we wrap ourselves in, racism still exists. It seems a country built on liberty and justice and freedom has had a mental breakdown of sorts and is hard pressed to recover from its malady. On the other hand it is as though a loving God has left us to our own devices. It often seems he has turned and walked away from our cries and prayers. It leaves many of us wondering if he even hears us anymore.
The one that we prayed to be healed isn’t, the boy who was supposed to live a long live doesn’t, the comeback, the return, the second chance that was supposed to attest that miracles do happen, doesn’t happen at all. And if you sit and ponder it all for too long it can leave your heart sad and sick and wondering if right always wins.
Well, I still believe. I still believe in love and the goodness of mankind. I still believe that justice prevails and that if you want to be free from habits meant for your destruction you can be. I believe that God heals. I am that testimony. I still believe that people are honest and courageous and when we come together nothing is impossible.
I can’t explain away all the tragedies and heartaches and disappointments and disparities between this and that. But my hope is yet in the God who can and he is a just God. The bible says he meets us where our hope is (Ps. 33:22). And because I believe that, I refuse to give in to doubt. When I stop believing, something else sets in; its force rises and sees the good in nothing, it is void of hope, it stands for nothing but fears everything. It eats away at the spirit of man and leaves him confused and staggering.
The spirit of hope is in our midst and we have to grab hold to it. It is out of that spirit that movements were birth and liberties and freedom given to those who were without. It is that hope which propelled individuals to make sacrifices both great and small that changed generations. It is the hope that just won’t die.
No matter how bleak it all looks, the tears we cry and the disappointments we experience, God will come through. Right will prevail. No matter how vast the darkness, I still believe.
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
A Letter to the Unlovable
To you who just aren’t easy to love (you may or may not know who you are):
You are the difficult one of the group and this seems to be your natural state. You like to argue often. When there’s nothing to argue about you will masterfully create friction. You are moody, temperamental, difficult to get along with and even more difficult to understand. When everyone else is happy and free and laughing about this and that you seek to destroy with your glass-half-empty attitude. Sometimes you build a wall around yourself so that you can privately loll in your fears and discontent blaming the outside world for your misery. You wound, hurt and offend and often it seems you’re oblivious to the mayhem you bring to those around you because, afterall, you are the only one that matters. We’ve tried to include you because you become bitter and hurt when you’re excluded and for various reasons this bothers us. We’ve tried to compliment and build you up because you are easily discouraged and prone to disillusions about what’s going on when you aren’t around. When Jesus says, “love your neighbor as yourself” certainly you must be the exception. If we really focused our thoughts on it, it would be easier to leave you be, watch you wallow in your weighty pool of self-pity, until you step out and realize how wrong you have been. But we don’t.
You are what we call the unlovable; not because you can’t be loved but because you are difficult to love. But we love you anyway. No, we aren't hanging on some delusion that you will become beautiful and kind (you might, but we aren’t holding out for this). But as Christians we are commanded to love. We are even commanded to love you as we love ourselves. Sigh. Also, we realize that loving is freeing; hate binds us to the person being hated. And in your dark world we choose to show you light and keep ourselves free.
We are beings filled with goodness and kindness. We are a reflection of our Father. You will not change that about us. We love because it is greater and more powerful than hate can or ever will be. Hate causes rage and depression and leaves our entire being bitter; not just the part that is busy hating you. We will not be ruled by your temperament and attitude, but by that which lives and rises and is unconquerable-- love.
So, to you, the unlovable, we choose to love you anyway.
You are the difficult one of the group and this seems to be your natural state. You like to argue often. When there’s nothing to argue about you will masterfully create friction. You are moody, temperamental, difficult to get along with and even more difficult to understand. When everyone else is happy and free and laughing about this and that you seek to destroy with your glass-half-empty attitude. Sometimes you build a wall around yourself so that you can privately loll in your fears and discontent blaming the outside world for your misery. You wound, hurt and offend and often it seems you’re oblivious to the mayhem you bring to those around you because, afterall, you are the only one that matters. We’ve tried to include you because you become bitter and hurt when you’re excluded and for various reasons this bothers us. We’ve tried to compliment and build you up because you are easily discouraged and prone to disillusions about what’s going on when you aren’t around. When Jesus says, “love your neighbor as yourself” certainly you must be the exception. If we really focused our thoughts on it, it would be easier to leave you be, watch you wallow in your weighty pool of self-pity, until you step out and realize how wrong you have been. But we don’t.
You are what we call the unlovable; not because you can’t be loved but because you are difficult to love. But we love you anyway. No, we aren't hanging on some delusion that you will become beautiful and kind (you might, but we aren’t holding out for this). But as Christians we are commanded to love. We are even commanded to love you as we love ourselves. Sigh. Also, we realize that loving is freeing; hate binds us to the person being hated. And in your dark world we choose to show you light and keep ourselves free.
We are beings filled with goodness and kindness. We are a reflection of our Father. You will not change that about us. We love because it is greater and more powerful than hate can or ever will be. Hate causes rage and depression and leaves our entire being bitter; not just the part that is busy hating you. We will not be ruled by your temperament and attitude, but by that which lives and rises and is unconquerable-- love.
So, to you, the unlovable, we choose to love you anyway.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Not a Good Day for Throwing Stones
I would like to think that I’m leading a somewhat outstanding life. I’d like to believe that when I look in the mirror in the morning the person staring back at me is honest, loving and above reproach. I’d like to believe this because when I go out on the streets and see those who aren’t, I have something to talk about.
When I witness those who are struggling; can’t pay their bills on time, can’t keep their husband from stepping out, dealing with a child addicted to…anything, I can shake my head. I choose to believe that the way I raise my kids, love my husband and handle my business is solid and right and folks all around me admire me not only for my efforts but envy me for the amazing job I’m doing. It makes it so much easier for me to cock up my feet at night and get on the phone with my girl and give play by play about how you-know-who hasn’t seen her child in days and I don’t know why she stays broke. Yep it’s all so easy to do.
But funny thing, when I take a second look at myself in the mirror I reflect back on some events in my life that I’d tucked safely away in the recesses of my spirit. Stuff I don’t talk about anymore because the memories have faded like something left out in the sun for too long and it doesn’t seem important to bring up anymore; stuff that I’ve exonerated myself for with the excuse that I was young, didn’t know any better or it was somebody else’s fault.
So this morning before I stepped out of the house I left the stones I’d planned on throwing and clothed myself with humility and understanding and realized the world was a much more beautiful place this way.
When I witness those who are struggling; can’t pay their bills on time, can’t keep their husband from stepping out, dealing with a child addicted to…anything, I can shake my head. I choose to believe that the way I raise my kids, love my husband and handle my business is solid and right and folks all around me admire me not only for my efforts but envy me for the amazing job I’m doing. It makes it so much easier for me to cock up my feet at night and get on the phone with my girl and give play by play about how you-know-who hasn’t seen her child in days and I don’t know why she stays broke. Yep it’s all so easy to do.
But funny thing, when I take a second look at myself in the mirror I reflect back on some events in my life that I’d tucked safely away in the recesses of my spirit. Stuff I don’t talk about anymore because the memories have faded like something left out in the sun for too long and it doesn’t seem important to bring up anymore; stuff that I’ve exonerated myself for with the excuse that I was young, didn’t know any better or it was somebody else’s fault.
So this morning before I stepped out of the house I left the stones I’d planned on throwing and clothed myself with humility and understanding and realized the world was a much more beautiful place this way.
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