When we practice love....

I am reflecting on the following passage as the world becomes more complex and unbalanced.   Today on the news, "Pastor arrested as part of a corruption ring in New Jersey." What are people thinking?  Children still going to school hungry in one of the wealthiest nations.  My own community I serve, I see many people struggling to make a living wage.     Today I read in the San Leandro Times in the letters to the editor..."If my neighbor next door doesn't speak English, I'll report them to immigration!"

"Blessed is the who hear God's word and does it!"   What would happen if we practiced love in the manner Jesus taught, love our enemies, turn the cheek, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned.  In our world today, Jesus would also ask us to welcome the immigrant, help our poor by having a tax base that is equitable and fair, fight for health care for everyone, stop killing the innocents in war, stop wars...I could go on but that's enough for now.  I am reminded of and old story about asking God the hard questions. 

When she finally met God, she asked "Why didn't you do something about the hungry and the suffering.  and God's responses was "Why didn't you?" 

Please pray for courage, compassion, and good sense for each of us as we try to follow the teaching the Jesus.  The following is the passage that I encourage you to reflect and ponder upon.

1 John 3:18-24 (The Message)

18-20My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

21-24And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in God's personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep God's commands, we live deeply and surely in God, and God lives in us. And this is how we experience God's deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit God in us.

When she finally met God, she asked "Why didn't you do something about the hungry and the suffering.  and God's responses was "Why didn't you?"