Love One Another

I’m a Christian.  I regret that I  almost have to apologize for that statement these days due to the bad name given to Christianity by right-wing bigots who want to use their faith as justification for discrimination.

So many people are turned off by “Religion” and religious people.  People have been burned by churches and by church-goers.  A friend of mine once said “I like Jesus. It’s his fan club that I have a problem with.”

If you ignore all of the right-wing stuff, though, and focus on what the Bible (particuarly the New Testament) says, you get a much clearer picture of what God actually is and what He wants for us.

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:12)

Or if you prefer another way of looking at it, you can turn to Broadway:

To love another person is to see the face of God. - Les Miserables

If you want to know what God is all about, just think of love.  I believe that God manifests Himself to us through love.  Anytime we show our love to others, I believe that we are allowing ourself to be a vessel for the creator of the whole universe.  The Bible simplifies it for us in 1 John 4:8, “God is love.”

This is why I have trouble understanding people who want to spend all of their time condemning other people in God’s name.  Certainly, we don’t have to condone or accept the things of the world that we feel are “ungodly.”  However, I don’t see many people who are converted these days because someone persecuted them.

I choose to spend as much of my energy as possible trying to do what Jesus Himself told me to do:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-25)

I wish that more members of His fan club would do the same thing.

Find related posts: “But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Gentleness

“There is nothing stronger in the world than gentleness.” — Han Suyin

My mom recently gave me my grandfather’s wallet. It was on him when he died, which was when I was pretty young. I went through its contents carefully, handling everything inside as if it were a precious artifact. Receipts for bills he’d paid, his insurance card, pictures of little me.

Luckily, I don’t have to be as careful with my memories of him. I don’t have any bad memories of “Pappaw.” In my memories, he is always cracking a corny joke and laughing about it. He’s singing gospel music with a bluegrass sound and a Kentucky twang. He’s playing a harmonica or plucking his “Jew’s harp.” He’s letting me feed the chickens he raised in the backyard. He’s showing me how to plant seeds in his garden.

It seems that he treated me with such care. We had no way of knowing that we wouldn’t have a lot of time together. I’m sure he didn’t say to himself, “I’d better treat him good while I still can.” That’s just the way he was. He was a good man.

I hope that I can treat people with care and gentleness. This is not a quality that seems to be encouraged by our society, especially in men. Artistotle described the quality this way: “not to be easily provoked to anger… having tranquility and stability in spirit.”

I think if we can just treat people with a little gentleness and care, we can do our part to improve our lives and theirs. Maybe then, they will only be able to remember good things about us as well.

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“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Kindness

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” - Mother Teresa

During our recent beach vacation, my daughter and I were building a sandcastle on the beach. We were having a great time with one another and were pretty oblivious to passersby.

One gentleman, however, walked very close to us as he went down the beach. He stopped behind my daughter’s back, smiled at me, and put his finger to his lips in the classic “quiet” gesture. He then produced a particularly beautiful shell from the bag he was carrying and laid it in the sand behind her.

After he’d walked a few steps, I showed her the shell and told her that a nice man had left it for her. I pointed him out, now several yards down the beach as she called out “thank you!” He just kept walking, but I’m sure the joy in her voice reached him.

What a simple act of kindness, yet it is one of my favorite memories from our vacation. This simple act reverberated and immediately instilled a desire to “pay it forward.”

Don’t underestimate the power of a random act of kindness. We can all find something simple to do each day. This small investment in a positive lifestyle will benefit us and others.
Today, look for opportunities to follow Mother Teresa’s advice and put kindness in your face, eyes, smile… or actions!

Please consider leaving a comment recording an act of kindness you’ve experienced.

Photo by PD Photo

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“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Patience

“How poor are they who have not patience!” - William Shakespeare

While treating my daughter to a fast food lunch today, our service turned out to be not-so-fast. The place was packed, as was apparent from the crowded parking lot. Since she really wanted to dine under the golden arches, we stayed. While waiting in line to place our order (and waiting some more to receive our food) I was able to observe a wide variety of responses to the inconvenience. One woman in line was particularly red-faced, loudly announcing to the workers and fellow customers how long she had been waiting and how “ridiculous” it all was. While none of us seemed particularly happy to be there, I wondered what I could do to prevent myself from going the route of Ms. Red.

Some Advice on Cultivating Patience

• Accept, understand, and forgive yourself No one is perfect, so don’t be too hard on yourself for moments of impatience. Stay focused on your goal of cultivating a more patient perspective and accept some slips along the way. (coping.org)
• View patience as your protection against the world Buddhists often view patience as a kind of “armor” that provides safety from the negative aspects of life. Leonardo Da Vinci embraced this concept when he said “Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will be powerless to vex your mind.” (personal-development.com)
• Allow “space” for other people’s shortcomings As we embrace our own imperfection, we must recognize the imperfection of others. We must accommodate our own faults, as well as the faults of others. Are we being too insensitive to others’ feelings? Is it possible that the fast food worker was just as upset as Ms. Red that things were falling so far behind? After all, Ms. Red had her problem solved when her Big Mac arrived. The poor worker had to keep dealing with the lunch rush. (Michael Lewin)
• Patience is more than just waiting Cultivating patience isn’t a passive activity. It takes focus, time, energy, and dedication. One must learn to appreciate and enjoy “the journey” on the way to the end result. (Zach Kong)
• Patience is the opponent to anger What better antidote to anger, frustration, and bitterness than patience? Cultivating patience is akin to getting a vaccination against those qualities that we seek to eliminate from our lifestyle. It may hurt a little bit, but the long term effects are worth it. (Geshe Kelsang Gyatso)

Photo by PD Photo

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“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23