A few weeks ago our guest pastor (Leann Walt) did a sermon on the Good Samaritan.
Two parts: A kids talk and then the adults.
The Kids had a prop. A big red heart representing love.
The Kids came up with Valentine's Day as their answer for a symbol of love. Candy, chocolate, flowers and the Pastor added - dinner, and wine, as gifts of love to the list.
It was a very cute and sweet exercise, but above her head we have a stain glass window with the Samaritan scene and she focused our attention on that. She pointed out; No flowers, no chocolate, no wine, gifts or dinner. It's An ugly picture really - A man struggling to hold a wounded man on his donkey as he transports him to help...
Her point; love is hard. Love is messy. Love hurts and takes a commitment!
The adult part: "God says love unconditionally - Your neighbor as yourself." The halfway house in your neighborhood. The public school that is inclusive. Love them, do not exclude them, and of course (my words) with accountability.
All of us think we would stop and help someone in-need. Right? Well, I've walked past more homeless people in New York than I can count. Each time I harden my heart to be able to ignore them.
Each time I killed something hunting as a youngster, I had to harden my heart not to feel pain at killing. Like any other task it becomes easier to harden ones heart the more you practice it, to the point you become unaware you are doing it. You loose empathy and compassion and don't know it.
Right now we collectively need to unclench our hearts. We have to start loving our neighbor, especially the ones not like us and whom we disagree with. We don't have to have 9/11's, Sandy's or Harvey's to recognize what we are capable of -that compassion happens out there everyday we just don't see it.
Meeting hate with hate - just births more hate. It gives power to what you are against. It's a no win situation. One would think after all of these centuries it would be obvious but I guess not!
Loving is the only way we will get ourselves out of this mess. Well, how do we love someone that hates us? We forgive. We show why love is the higher power. We sacrifice, give and maybe die if necessary. It's not the first time someone has died for us.
You can't kill fear! Hate and intolerance will never win over love. They may have victories, short or long term gains but they can never sustain it. Never!
It will not be easy. We will have to let go of things we cherish because those things offend our neighbor. Walk in everyone's shoes to feel what it is they feel. Understand their fears and frustrations and find a way to ease those. Yes - it's a two, three and maybe a four way street! It's all of us collectively unclenching our hearts!
It will not be easy but that's the point - love isn't!