Love

Love
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can?  And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!  If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world.  Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible.  Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving!  No one has ever become poor from giving!”                                                     Anne Frank
Anne Frank knew what it was to experience love and hate. She experienced the love of those who hid her from the Nazis in occupied Holland at the risk of their own lives. And, unfortunately she experienced the hate of the Nazis that captured her and sent her to a death camp.
As I look at the news today I see youth killing youth for virtually no reason at all. I see the hate of terrorist groups around the world, killing innocent men, women and children.
I see hate on the streets of cities in the United States because the police officers got off after killing two black men and “system” let the families down.
At the same time I am reminded of a speech by Martin Luther King jr. who said,

We thank thee, O God, for the spiritual nature of man.

We are in nature but we live above nature.

Help us never to let anybody or 

any condition pull us so low as to cause us to hate.

Give us strength to love our enemies and to do good

to those who despitefully use us and persecute us

We thank thee for thy Church,

founded upon thy Word, that challenges us to do more

than sing and pray, but go out and work as though

the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon thee.

Then, finally, help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through all eternity.

Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace;

help us to walk together, pray together, sing together,

and live together until that day when all God’s children,

Black, White, Red, and Yellow will rejoice

in one common bond of humanity in the kingdom

of our LORD and of our God, we pray.

Amen.

                                                                                          Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The apostle Paul wrote of Love,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Such a definition of love is something even non-Christians can agree on. It is what the world needs.
Personally I cannot see mankind on its own filling the world with love.
While there are many, almost undoubtedly the majority of people in the world want love to reign, the minority bent of violence, the lust for power, and evils in all its forms seem to be winning the day.
That’s why I firmly believe there is a need for people to look to Christ and the love and hope he offers.
It was Jesus who said, love God, your neighbour, and even your enemy. He even called on us to pray for those who persecute us.
And in this world that seems to be slowly spiralling out of control he says,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 
Matthew 11:28-30
Think about it.