We are called to be loving to those we love AND those we hate. The bible is clear: love God; love others. Love is mentioned in the bible 500-550 times depending on the translation. It is clear in 1 John 7-8 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
It is not enough to love those that look like us, act like us, think like us. We must love and pray for our enemies. Jesus came down and challenged the ruling class. His radical views on love, forgiveness, and sacrifice marked His disciples. Many gave up their lives for believing in someone who bucked the status quo and called us to be more than self-centered or power seeking.
Jesus stood up to the leaders of the time and calls us to do so as well, not espousing platitudes but actively working to change the world with love not violence. Many have been turned away from the church while those who hate others are welcomed into the pews. That’s not right or loving.
What’s happening in our country is terrifying and it is NOT Christian. Trump is mirroring Caesar while his minions are behaving just as the Pharisees and Sadducees did. Real Christianity, the kind that loves the poor and welcomes the migrant, is being not just rejected, but vilified. We need to get involved. We need to stand up for what’s right. And we need to love so all will see the God that loves us and wants what’s best for us.
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