3:244 – Love Is More Important Than Being Right

#faithbites #faithjourney important

Setting

In the past month, I’ve done better in not reading and commenting on many Facebook posts. I just don’t have the energy to get into the debates when people don’t want to learn, grow, and understand. As we get closer to the election, I see the vitriol heating up. The my candidate is better than yours. The you don’t want to live in this Candidate’s America vs you are already living in that America with this candidate. Some are beyond that where it seems that facts are so distorted to make anything seem correct.

I don’t have an answer for that. I just know that at the heart of Christianity, we are supposed to Love God and Love Our Neighbors. We can disagree with them but we need to do it with kindness and gentleness. What I see here is almost a holy war of I’m right and if you don’t agree you are the devil. I also know that it’s not everybody and we hear what we want to hear from our own echo chambers.

A favorite memory of mine was in college, several of us from different backgrounds would get together in one of the dorm rooms and discuss religion, politics, and everything. We didn’t agree but we listened to each other and were friends. I wonder what today would be if we all treated each other with that love?

Scripture

• 1 Corinthians 13:13 – Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
• 1 Corinthians 16:14 – And do everything with love.
• 1 Peter 4:8 – Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

Reflection

Not much to add to this as God says it pretty clearly: do all things in love and love will last forever. That’s it. Even when we feel hope and faith is lost, Love is alwasy there. We love because He loved us first. (1 John 4:19)

Let’s stop trying to be right. Let’s stop trying to prove the other person is evil. Let’s focus on building relationships, showing love, and growing with each other where we disagree.

Everything won’t be sunshine puppy dogs and unicorns and that’s ok. Let’s try to start with love, first.

Challenge

Find one person you disagree with on any one issue. Talk to them about it. Ask them about it. Show them love and gentleness. You may not agree with each other and you can still love one another.

Prayer

Father God, we need you more now than ever. Help us to spread love and not hate. Help us to see each other first as your children, then as people we want to get to know. Hate and anger are easy emotions to have. Being a person of love is much harder. Help us to grow in love. We love you and give you all the glory, Amen.