Oh, What a World!
In a world that appears to be so divided, one might ask ‘where is God?’
He isn’t in anger, hatred, chaos and confusion.
He yearns for us to find unity, joy, and love.
But how?
He created each human in his image and loves every single one of them. It is challenging to understand, and to behave accordingly to that truth. However, God asks us to do just that. He commands us to Love God (keep in mind that He sits in us so He also commands us to love ourself) and love our neighbors which is everyone we meet!
How in the world with that be possible?
No clue!
But what if?
What if we did look at every person as someone we should love,
No matter the details they carry,
No matter if their thoughts agree with yours,
No matter if they speak a different language
No matter if their faith practice is in agreement
No matter if they break the law
No matter what…..
What if we stop putting people in their groups? What if we stop labeling people?
What if we look at individuals for who they are and what they hold inside?
What if we recognized that within every group, we will see hurting people projecting pain in unhealthy ways? Because of the pain they carry, they have strongholds that manifest in hidden agendas.
The corporate leadership who thinks profit is priority.
The athlete who was bullied and has now as an adult has become the bully.
The leaders of BLM who now have financial resources and left the organization without.
The transgender who felt the right to expose their breast on the lawn of the White House.
The reporter who creates fear to grow her reputation.
The faith leader who took advantage of someone he should have been witnessing God too.
The politician who leads with pleasing the people over responsibility.
The politician who chooses to divide and control.
In each of those cases above what if we recognized that those people are working in their brokenness, in their misaligned moral compass. And yet each one is a Child of God. Inside, deep beneath the brokenness, God sits patiently.
And that is not all. Inside of those groups, where the loudest get the attention, there are beautiful broken people in every one of those spaces. Some have moved through the pain, some have found healing, some have accepted the truth that only God has control of this crazy wonderful world. We all are doing the best we can.
A young Vietnamese entrepreneur dreaming about his opportunity to grow a company that positively impacts the lives of others.
A young journalist with personal emotional challenges who believes truth can set us free.
A female republican who believes that we live in the greatest country in the world, more Americans should be able to experience the gift!
A male democrat that holds a compassionate servant’s heart and yet understands the difference between empowerment and entitlement.
A young black girl who writes poetry and promotes hope for the future that discrimination has no place in our lives.
A young brave Hispanic boy who has an intention of serving his community through protecting others and recognizing the value of self-awareness to keep his emotions healthy while serving in such a volatile career.
A young white person experiencing gender dysphoria whose feelings are not lining up with the body chosen for them and yet they are human, and God needs us to see, listen, and love them.
God has placed himself inside each one of us. He needs us to represent His love so that the lies of this world can be destroyed, so that His Love gets set on fire so that we may be united in our individuality and not held bondage by the group we yearn to fit in to.
Brene Brown says the fitting in is the opposite of belonging!
Freedom comes when we no longer work to fit in because we know deeply that we belong, just as we are, wounds and all!
This morning this conversation occurred…
Person: I can’t stand this coworker.
Me: why?
Person: he tells inappropriate sexual jokes and he’s racist
Me: how do you response
Person: I tell him to f#@& off
Me: and then what does he do
Person: he tells me he can say whatever he wants. He lives in a free country.
Me: remind him that his rights end when your rights begin.
What if we all could live by that measure?
What if each one of us could grasp that line?
When someone is being impacted in a negative way because of your behaviors and actions… you have overextended your freedom at the cost of others?
Is that where privilege begins?
A very wise and powerful Entity has suggested that everyone should tithe 10%.
I’m not sure this next statement is true but I think it would be a good thing to consider.
If all income was to be tithed at 10%, poverty around the world would be eliminated.
Wouldn’t that be something?
What if we stopped judging people by their group and just loved them?
What if generosity grew to such a place of power that people were no longer homeless or hungry?
What if the power came from the humbled not from the ones with influence?
What if we loved our neighbor as ourself (meaning we must love ourself)
Oh what a world it could be?!!!