Love Wins!

I don’t want to turn on the television today.  The impeachment trial is going on, and once again, both sides are giving their closing arguments.  It’s like a “He Said / She Said” argument.  Do you really know who to believe?  Why does one side want more witnesses?  I thought it was the job of the House of Representatives to do the investigation and call all the witnesses, kind of like a grand jury.  Is there enough evidence for a trial?  If so, take this evidence and go.  But, it seems that they want additional evidence over what they already gave.  Shouldn’t that have been done by them?  Okay, that’s one side of the argument.  The other side is why doesn’t the other side want to hear more?  What are they afraid of?  Why are they refusing to ask for more evidence?  Or is it a time thing–this will drag on and on, and neither side are going to get their points across to the other side anyway, and the senators may as well vote?

Well, I am not going to take sides in this whole thing.  It is a mess, and everyone is to blame.  STOP BICKERING!  

I know that as many people who hate our current president, there were as many who hated our past president.  Regardless, they are who God allowed as leaders of our country.  Now, why God allows this is another question.  Is it to teach us something we wouldn’t learn any other way?  Like touching a hot stove.  You can tell your child over and over again not to touch it because it will burn, but until the child touches something hot, they don’t get it.  Are we stubborn enough not to learn without harsh lessons?  I don’t know.

So, since we are all different, why can we not accept that people will also think differently?  Isn’t this why we have elections?  To find out who thinks differently, and who thinks the same?  I am really tired of the feeling that I must think just like someone else.  And, who is this someone else that I must think like?  I think it is the person who yells the loudest.  So, if I don’t think like them, am I a hater?  I don’t think so.  

Why am I afraid to share what I think with the general public?  Will you think I am too conservative?  Will you think I am too liberal?  Will you think I am in the middle with no opinions and willing to be swayed with the wind?  Does this really matter?

I am going to come out with a radical idea.  LOVE!  People throw that word around, but I don’t see it much on any side.  It seems they just love their opinion, and think other opinions are unlovable.  People are belittled for stating their opinions.  They are called names.  Some people lose their jobs.  Some people lose their friends and family.  For what?  Something that can change every four years?

As a Christ follower, truth comes from Scripture.  So, I am going to look at what it says about love.  I have been to a million weddings (okay, that’s an exaggeration) where the “Love Chapter” is read. 1 Corinthians 13 — but what is that chapter really saying about love?

Verses 1 through 3 tell what is NOT love:  

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

So, if I am eloquent, and I can speak in many languages, and if I can be smart and understand all science and mathematics and understand the future, and I am faithful, and if I give myself to good causes and sacrifice myself, but I have no love, it means absolutely NOTHING,  

That begs the questions, so what is love then?  And this chapter of the Bible goes on to describe exactly what is love:

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Verse four just rocks and describes what I don’t see going on.  Here is the list:

• Patient and kind
• Doesn’t envy or boast (no jealousy)
• Not arrogant (not my ideas are loftier than yours)
• Not rude
• Does not insist on its own way (not “my way or the highway”)
• Not irritable or resentful (not anger over differences)
• Doesn’t celebrate wrongdoing
• Celebrates truth
• Puts up with all things
• Has belief
• Has hope
• Has endurance

I have seen many things on social media that makes me sad.  One is the vitriol people use about others who think differently than we do.  Here is an example of what I saw:

“. . . . I implore any supporters of this lawless, immoral beast occupying the White House to please unplug from my friend group. I don’t want you here. Neighbors, co-workers, family members, your values are just too harmful to the well-being of all life on this planet. Please just go . . . .”

I was shocked when I saw this.  I couldn’t imagine a progressive or a conservative asking people who think and speak differently to go.  If we continue this way, one group asking the other to no longer be friends, how do we have open forums?  How can we feel free to speak out thoughts?  Well, I guess that its a dumb question, because I do not speak about politics except with probably a couple people.  My thoughts are pretty independent, and my feelings about the hate that is going on is very strong.

I will talk about my faith.  No talking about politics.  Why?  The following verses in Corinthians kind of speaks to it.  Prophesy, speaking languages and being really smart and clever will all fade away.  All those things we brag about are nothing in the big scheme of things.  What will last is LOVE.  Why?  Because God is LOVE.  He is eternal.  So why would I get all riled up over something that will not last?  What will last is God and who he is.  I will gladly discuss that, and listen, and learn from those.  I will not argue.

So, as all this goes on, and during this year, with the elections just months away, I want you to know a few things from me personally.

1. I will not unfriend you because we don’t think the same.
2. I will not call anyone names.
3. I will be sad as I see other people saying mean things about people who don’t think like they do.
4. I will hope and pray, that no matter what the outcomes are, that we will accept them with grace.
5. I will still stand on God’s faithfulness that He is in charge, and He will allow things for our good, and for our learning.
6. I will hope you will still consider me your friend, even if I am different than you.