I am coming to an amazing place as I understand the only way to love someone is to let them find their own path, and on their path their own way. Because if I interject anything of 'myself' it will only be misdirection or the wrong way. Oh yes, I am following Jesus, He is in me. I can point everyone to Him, and also say 'please don't follow me'. There is flesh to be dealt with every moment of everyday. There is ego to die, the tongue to control, the mind that needs to be renewed and the 'acting out' of fear, which are always going to be poor examples of my faith and of God's unconditional love and compassion. Worship, reading His Word and speaking about the Lord always invites the Spirit, but when out of the Spirit the flesh manifests fleshly desires and fear which need to always be conquered. I now see there is no place for judgment, ever, only unconditional love, compassion for those hurting and searching and desiring to be loved.
Yesterday I was hurting as I heard about a man that lived within our courtyard of our apartment complex. Neighbors asked if I heard what happened and I said 'no'. He had committed suicide after losing his job. There are so many deeply hurting people, finding no way out their pain, no one available to listen, no one to love them without judgment. They are everywhere. To be able to look at them, and smile or at least say a silent prayer because we 'do' know. It may be all they need to get them through another day. We can be sure of it, everywhere people are in despair and hurting. We can choose to lead them to Jesus knowing our hope and our difficulties, but for others to see Him in me, I must be truthful about myself without facades. True unconditional love and true compassion (love can never be faked) draws searching and the desire to know and desire more.
“When I meet someone, I look into his or her eyes, because that person for me is Jesus.” Mother Teresa
'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Jesus ___ Matthew 25
Love them Like Jesus loves them
Love them like they are Jesus
Love Them Like Jesus, Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qfaiKiCh7I&feature=related
I sent the following out recently. It was written by a dear friend Lizabeth Doolittle on February 20 after the despair and grief for another dear family, whose son who was tragically killed two days before. It is so powerful and if we could only completely get it. And Pam if you are reading this...I so love you and Steve and Chris. We cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it is for you, but if it ever feels like you want to give up please remember that you are surrounded by love and we are all prayerfully waiting for you.
Love Broke Out (I like the past tense here)
Verb: break out breyk awt1. Start abruptly"After 1989, peace broke out in the former East Bloc"- erupt2. Begin suddenly and sometimes violently"He broke out shouting""Love Broke Out", "Prayer Broke Out", "Kindness Broke Out"These are the headlines I would love to see in the newspapers, instead of the senseless tragedies we do see. A family in our community lost a son in such a senseless event. Headlines were written about this unfathomable loss of life and all of those who loved this family and those who just love life wanted those headlines and reporting to be a made up horror story, lies, fabrications, a fictional tragedy. But the loss was real.A friend, Vicky, wrote to me on facebook that a 15 year old girl was life-flighted from her neighborhood, after suffering a stroke. Vicky said all the neighbors came out of their homes and "prayer broke out".I love this definition of "break out"--- 2. Begin suddenly and sometimes violentlyAdjective: violent vI-(u-)lunt1. Acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensityLet love break out. Let prayer break out. Let kindness break out. Let us be violent, forceful, energetic, passionate, purposeful, proactive about our prayers, displays of love, and tangible acts of kindness! Jesus encouraged us (yes, even us pacifists) that the violent take the Kingdom of heaven by force. THIS is the violence we need to see. Real women and real men passionately, purposely loving. Let love and prayer and kindness break out (suddenly and sometimes violently) now. Remember the song, "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me"? Let violent, passionate, purposeful, proactive, energetic, love break out and let it begin with me. And you. And you. And you....
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