Love Each Other
"Help us
accept each other as Christ accepted us;
teach us as a sister, brother, each person to embrace;
Be present, Lord, among us, and bring us to believe
we are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live."
(Fred Kaan, "Help Us Accept Each Other", 1974
UMC Hymnal 560
In our
diverse society today there are many different cultures. God is adding
ingredients to
Picture yourself leaving a movie tonight
and walking through a parking lot. You see a group of youths of your race coming
toward you. They could be a street gang or a church youth group or your friends
going to the next show. At first, there is some doubt, then recognition, and
then, hopefully, comfort.
Sometimes we are uncomfortable with who
is approaching. We get nervous. When that occurs, it can be justified as a
safety precaution. Often it can be a sign of subconscious or even a conscious
prejudice. Yes, often our prejudices show up in this way. As Christians, we
need to recognize this when it happens.
To get back to the question, "Must
we accept and love them all?” the answer is clear. John quotes Jesus in chapter
15:17, " This is my command: Love each other". Jesus
left no one off the list.
Thought for Today: Today, look
at our fears, our prejudices, and the way we view the diverse elements of our
society. Let us ask if we can learn to exhibit Christian love toward these
elements. We will learn that we can when we try.
Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, help me reach out to people. Help me
understand the undesirable. There is still terror and the threat of war
throughout the world. We are confused and have difficulty loving our enemies.
We pray for the ability to understand and follow Jesus' command for love.
Amen
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