LOVE
Or the lack there of...Let me tell you about my evening at church. We had a forum of sorts...We brought in religious leaders from four different religions, Muslim, Christian, Zen-Buddhist and Jewish. It was interesting.
Our worship leader started the evening by praying that the night would be about love. Amen brother. The leaders discussed their religions, views on suffering in their religions, circumstancial events, etc. It was really good to hear all these views. I appreciate hearing the thoughts of others because it causes me to question myself and perhaps affirm my own beliefs.
The end of the night was an open question series. A series which should have been great...A portion of the night that COULD have been great. It could have been about embracing different views, cultures, religions...APPRECIATING those. Instead, some members of the audience chose to turn it into an attack session.
One person questioned why the Muslim man would believe a different version of the story of Job. Then another man asked the Rabbi why she doesn't accept Jesus as her savior. We were supposed to be engaged in a series about suffering and embracing the way other religions deal with suffering, advice they would give, etc. It was meant to be an evening of love. Instead we showed distaste by attacking the views of others.
Here's what I don't get. WHY can't we be satisfied? Why must we always cross the line? Why can we not "ecourage one another and build each other up" as it says in Thes.? Why must we always feel the need to attack or defend rather than welcome? Why couldn't these people say, "Thank you for sharing your opinion" rather than saying, "Here's MY opinion, let me question yours"? It's sad. It's disheartening.
I'm not perfect by any means...I falter just as much as the next person...I get worked up by something someone says and I feel the need to defend or attack...I don't think this is what Jesus would have us to however. I think He says, "Love one another." As we should. As I should. Indeed love is all it says in Corinthians, "patient, kind, not envious, not boastful..." I wish I was better at loving. How do you think we get better at loving?
My mom always says, "Kill 'em with kindness...You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar..." This may be the only time you hear me say this, but, my mom is right.
My heart hurts that of all the places I would witness this dispute, this "anger", this "anti-love" it would be in the church. It was handled well...The leaders were able to find humor in it and let it roll off their shoulders, but at the same time, I can't help but wish it wouldn't have happened.
Our worship leader started the evening by praying that the night would be about love. Amen brother. The leaders discussed their religions, views on suffering in their religions, circumstancial events, etc. It was really good to hear all these views. I appreciate hearing the thoughts of others because it causes me to question myself and perhaps affirm my own beliefs.
The end of the night was an open question series. A series which should have been great...A portion of the night that COULD have been great. It could have been about embracing different views, cultures, religions...APPRECIATING those. Instead, some members of the audience chose to turn it into an attack session.
One person questioned why the Muslim man would believe a different version of the story of Job. Then another man asked the Rabbi why she doesn't accept Jesus as her savior. We were supposed to be engaged in a series about suffering and embracing the way other religions deal with suffering, advice they would give, etc. It was meant to be an evening of love. Instead we showed distaste by attacking the views of others.
Here's what I don't get. WHY can't we be satisfied? Why must we always cross the line? Why can we not "ecourage one another and build each other up" as it says in Thes.? Why must we always feel the need to attack or defend rather than welcome? Why couldn't these people say, "Thank you for sharing your opinion" rather than saying, "Here's MY opinion, let me question yours"? It's sad. It's disheartening.
I'm not perfect by any means...I falter just as much as the next person...I get worked up by something someone says and I feel the need to defend or attack...I don't think this is what Jesus would have us to however. I think He says, "Love one another." As we should. As I should. Indeed love is all it says in Corinthians, "patient, kind, not envious, not boastful..." I wish I was better at loving. How do you think we get better at loving?
My mom always says, "Kill 'em with kindness...You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar..." This may be the only time you hear me say this, but, my mom is right.
My heart hurts that of all the places I would witness this dispute, this "anger", this "anti-love" it would be in the church. It was handled well...The leaders were able to find humor in it and let it roll off their shoulders, but at the same time, I can't help but wish it wouldn't have happened.
posted by Bethany at 5/29/2005 09:57:00 PM
2 Comments:
wow! what an awesome thing to witness... even witnessing what made you understand with greater depth how to show love and walk in it....
I love your question of "how do we get better at loving..." I'm thinking that it comes from learning first to be loved fully by the Father, and to recieve that full love (which I daily have to relearn how to do), and then to let Him grow us first in our observation of what real love looks like, then how it is freely given, regardless of the current status of the heart of the reciever, and moreso for who God sees the heart of the reciever to be in His eyes and perfect vision.
what saddens me is that I fear that some people ('Christians') will never get it... while others do get it... LIKE YOU!
hugs.
Damn Christians
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