Lovest Thou Me?

     Our world is full of so much to argue and debate about, in the workplace and church,or in our homes.  Goodness, there can even be the locking of horns driving down the road.

 Trying to sort it all out can be rather confusing and upsetting if you are a peacemaker like myself, because everyone has a different opinion, cultural background, or belief system.  Why can't we just let things be, live and let live?   Realistically, I know this approach is wimpy and un-Christ-like. I know you "gotta stand for something, or you'll fall for anything".   I also know there has to be better way of doing it.

     I am thankful and blessed to have been brought up to love Jesus, and to treat others how I have wanted to be treated. I am glad to have learned manners and have had the privilege of going to church on Sunday and in following the Bible as closely as possible. All these things are good things. I don't belittle them, but I sometimes wonder, what if we have missed something?

     Over the years, I have been smitten with wonder after watching documentaries on both Rosa Park's and Martin Luther King's stories.  I've read The Help, and have been horrified how Caucasian people have treated the Negros in the south.  Adolf Hitler and his twisted beliefs could not be ignored either.  We can put a stop to those injustices, yet in the church we come very close to teaching a few of our own prejudices.  They are not taught on purpose.  Our prejudices come from our zeal to do right and to live righteously.

     When I was a little girl, the AIDS outbreak was gaining rapid momentum.  I remember asking where the AIDS virus comes from and how did we get it?  The answer I was given wasn't very informative but I was warned to stay away from anyone who had AIDS.  I remember being afraid to use a public restroom for years afterward, for fear of contracting it myself.  For sure if I suspected anyone of living that type of a lifestyle, I didn't want any kinds of dealings with that person.  No one taught me to be that way. It was repellent to me so I didn't think it was anything I should ever have to think about, therefore, I didn't have to be nice about it.  And then, I read about the lepers in the Bible and that Jesus was not afraid to walk among them and heal them.

     Divorce and remarriage is common in our day, as are prostitutes and drunkards.  Drug abuse and sexual diseases and behaviors that Jesus spoke against and called sin are ever abounding.  So are the sins of lying, stealing, gossiping, praise of man, and covetousness.

     Jesus also told us to love others, forgive our enemies, and to bless them that curse us. He said to a group of people that were ready to stone a woman, whom they found in the act of committing adultery, "let him that is without sin, cast the first stone." and when they looked up from the ground where he was writing in the dust, while he talked, her accusers had fled.

     Jesus let a sinful woman wash his feet with her tears and dry them with her hair.  He ate with sinners.  He didn't say," I cannot go in there...or sit with you"... He didn't say, "Your habits are sinful, therefore I don't need to have dealings with you"...OR..." I am too righteous for you... You are beyond saving"...

     Jesus didn't say to avoid the person living in sin or the one having withdrawal symptoms from drug abuse.  He didn't say that we should avoid eating with sinners and that we should be aloof to those who don't believe like we KNOW the Bible teaches.  He didn't say we have a choice about who we show love to.  He didn't say only certain people, those who are living in obedience like me, are worthy of notice.  No, rather, He said for those who are living in obedience, all men will know we are Jesus' disciples by our love for each other.

     Sometimes we get off track what loving each other means.  We are so careful to keep our lives pure that we let that get in our way of reaching out to the not so pure.  We become overly zealous about being golden and beautiful to Christ, we forget to be broken and to suffer like Christ did for us.

Lovest thou ME?  Jesus wants to know...