I was making my bed with the news playing in the background. I usually turn the morning news on for about ten minutes to get the latest of world happenings and then shut it off because I can't handle the noise for too long, but for some reason, on this day, I left the TV on. The newscaster was interviewing a man who participated in the march in Selma fifty years ago. What caught my attention was not the horror that occurred on that day, but rather, the grace this man showed to those who tortured and beat him; an innocent man. The reporter asked this man if he was bitter or angry at the people who unjustly punished him and so many others on that fateful day. His answer was absolute: he held no grudge, no animosity, no anger, nothing. He said he was always taught to love. He continued by telling the reporter that they were all taught to show love and grace even in the face of such horrible injustice. He would fight for what he knew was right in love. Wow. I could not believe my ears. Could I love in that way after being treated so unfair?
Listening to this precious man helped me to realize that love doesn't excuse injustice; it cures it. We are such a society of hate. The moment we disagree we throw slanderous comments at each other. Your black and white may be another person's gray (and I don't mean 50 shades) and that is okay. Until we accept that all lives matter, segregation will continue. Everyone's life matters because we are ALL created in the image of our Creator. And if everyone's life matters, than everyone's opinion deserves to be heard even when we disagree.
I wonder what this world would look like if we traded love for injustice; if we gave grace upon grace to those who accuse and attack us. I wonder what would happen if we held the view that God created each of us in His image; if we actually paused and thought about how absolutely incredible that is. If we are all created in His image imagine what God actually looks like. How intricate and unique and intense and mind-blowing our God is! If we accept that we are all created in God's image then maybe, just maybe, we can accept that everyone, every single person, has value.
This man held no grudge. He truly had no anger against his attackers. He did not tear them down nor did he rally for others to fight against those who hurt and killed and created blood shed that fateful day fifty years ago. No. He loved and continues to love. He gives grace upon grace even all these years later. You know, fifty years seems like such a long time but it really is only a blink of an eye. Has much changed today? Have we grown and learned from the brave men and women who stood up for themselves back then; who helped the world realize that they had value too? Sadly, I don't think we have. We have lost the power of love. We have chosen the weaker weapon and dispelled hate amongst each other. We are growing a generation that has learned to spread hate and fear and disrespect through the safety of a computer screen and that my friends, is scarier than bloody Sunday.
I think the problem, actually, I know the problem lies in that we are learning how to love everywhere but where it began. We find love in things, in people who inevitably disappoint, in media, in societal standards, through the internet, and so on. We can't love because we haven't found the one true love: Jesus. He came, He suffered, He died, and He rose again why? Because He loved. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 God loved us so much He gave us a way through Jesus. We can't know true love until we know Jesus. Love cannot cure injustice until we learn and start living the love Jesus lived. We cannot appreciate each other and our uniqueness through all our disagreements until we accept the love of Christ. He was betrayed yet He still loved. He was beaten but still loved. He was cut, bruised, hit, mocked, and nailed to a cross, yet He still loved. Someone tells us they disagree with who we voted for or the outfit we chose and we throw stones at them yet Jesus loved even in the brutality He faced. We need to get back to that kind of love. Our world needs it. Our children deserve it. This Lent and Easter season is a time to pause, reflect, and remember the ultimate Love that this world has ever seen. Decide today to cure injustice with our love; His love.
"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”c And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us! But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.d ”Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23: 32-43
Love&Blessings,
Meg
Listening to this precious man helped me to realize that love doesn't excuse injustice; it cures it. We are such a society of hate. The moment we disagree we throw slanderous comments at each other. Your black and white may be another person's gray (and I don't mean 50 shades) and that is okay. Until we accept that all lives matter, segregation will continue. Everyone's life matters because we are ALL created in the image of our Creator. And if everyone's life matters, than everyone's opinion deserves to be heard even when we disagree.
I wonder what this world would look like if we traded love for injustice; if we gave grace upon grace to those who accuse and attack us. I wonder what would happen if we held the view that God created each of us in His image; if we actually paused and thought about how absolutely incredible that is. If we are all created in His image imagine what God actually looks like. How intricate and unique and intense and mind-blowing our God is! If we accept that we are all created in God's image then maybe, just maybe, we can accept that everyone, every single person, has value.
This man held no grudge. He truly had no anger against his attackers. He did not tear them down nor did he rally for others to fight against those who hurt and killed and created blood shed that fateful day fifty years ago. No. He loved and continues to love. He gives grace upon grace even all these years later. You know, fifty years seems like such a long time but it really is only a blink of an eye. Has much changed today? Have we grown and learned from the brave men and women who stood up for themselves back then; who helped the world realize that they had value too? Sadly, I don't think we have. We have lost the power of love. We have chosen the weaker weapon and dispelled hate amongst each other. We are growing a generation that has learned to spread hate and fear and disrespect through the safety of a computer screen and that my friends, is scarier than bloody Sunday.
I think the problem, actually, I know the problem lies in that we are learning how to love everywhere but where it began. We find love in things, in people who inevitably disappoint, in media, in societal standards, through the internet, and so on. We can't love because we haven't found the one true love: Jesus. He came, He suffered, He died, and He rose again why? Because He loved. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 God loved us so much He gave us a way through Jesus. We can't know true love until we know Jesus. Love cannot cure injustice until we learn and start living the love Jesus lived. We cannot appreciate each other and our uniqueness through all our disagreements until we accept the love of Christ. He was betrayed yet He still loved. He was beaten but still loved. He was cut, bruised, hit, mocked, and nailed to a cross, yet He still loved. Someone tells us they disagree with who we voted for or the outfit we chose and we throw stones at them yet Jesus loved even in the brutality He faced. We need to get back to that kind of love. Our world needs it. Our children deserve it. This Lent and Easter season is a time to pause, reflect, and remember the ultimate Love that this world has ever seen. Decide today to cure injustice with our love; His love.
"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”c And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us! But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.d ”Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23: 32-43
Love&Blessings,
Meg
Comments