where’s the love?
The hurtful rhetoric in our Western culture has reached a fever pitch.
Like, SO loud.
It’s in our news feeds, our socials, around our dinner tables, and even - sadly - in some of our churches and faith communities.
And it’s killing us all, like death by a thousand cuts… each hurtful word piercing the tender membrane of our hearts, our minds, and our relationships, seeding epidemic levels of hopelessness, loneliness and anxiety unprecedented in modern history.
This culture of vitriol is not how we were created to live.
We know this, because it hurts so darned much. And also because scripture tells us we were created in God’s image, that God is LOVE, and that the greatest commandment includes “LOVE others as you LOVE yourself.”
So, yeah… LOVE is what we’re made for, both to give and to receive.
When we operate outside of that economy, we experience pain, which begs an outlet. I’ll write more about this in another post soon.
In the meantime, here’s a gently curious question…
If God is LOVE, and we are called first and foremost to LOVE God and others, then how do we explain the overwhelmingly un-loving tone of our culture right now?
You might answer this by pointing out that the number of Americans who are actively plugged into thriving faith communities is rapidly shrinking. And you’re not altogether wrong.
And yet…
There are millions of people who still call themselves Christians and hold to traditional Judeo-Christian values, regardless of how or when they meet with other believers. Where are those voices?
And what about the hurtful dialogue that also occurs INSIDE our churches and faith communities, often in front of a watching world? How is this happening?
I would like to respectfully submit two possible explanations:
Some of us have unwittingly allowed our voices to be “harnessed” by the enemy to join a negative cultural chorus. We do this each time we use our tongues - or our thumbs - to convey disapproval, uninvited criticism, judgment, comparison, rejection or unkindness in any manner, whether publicly or privately. We also do this when we mindlessly consume negative content or listen in on conversations that denigrate others. AND/OR…
We’ve also sometimes allowed the enemy to silence us from using our voice to reflect the LOVING God who created us. We do this when we cower in our corners, afraid to say something that might reflect an unpopular viewpoint. We also do this when we withhold offering unconditional love to those we disagree with, because we’ve taken it upon ourselves to change them rather than trusting Jesus to do the heart-surgery they (or we!) need.
Here’s the good news…
Jesus knows how you’ve been hurt, yet decided before time began that you would live in a time such as this. He’s GOT you.
He also knows every hurtful word YOU’VE said - and will say - and has invited you into His loving family anyway. You BELONG because He says so.
Finally, God’s word says Christ is IN us, which means that since he IS LOVE, you can BE LOVE too. Even when it feels risky. Because he’s WITH you, always
All you have to do is ask Jesus for your next step forward. And then take it.
Maybe it’s posting a positive comment or sending a DM when you might otherwise skip past someone’s brave post. Maybe it’s resisting the urge to “like” or share something that tears someone down, even if you agree with the underlying cause. And maybe it’s as simple as sending an encouraging text to a friend - or even someone you’re on the outs with - without expecting something in return.
Whatever LOVE looks like for you, I promise there are others who will benefit from you sharing it with them, too. And wouldn’t it be something if the tone started to change all around us, thrumming with love that drowns out the hate?
It’s possible, you know.
Jesus lived it first, and is ever-present to show us the Way. :)
For TRUTH…
- cr
