FOLLOW THE WAY OF LOVE

Love One Another
Love is the Real Thing

Jesus taught his disciples the parable of the grape vine and its branches.  The vine provides the sustenance that the branches need to bear much fruit.  And he told them that if they abide in him as the branches abide in the vine, they will prove to be his disciples.  When they asked how to abide in him like vineyard branches, he replied that “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.”

The first African-American bishop of the Episcopal Church, Bishop Michael Curry, delivered the message at the royal wedding of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, an American actress of mixed racial heritage.  An audience of over one billion witnessed the wedding on May 19, 2018 and were captivated by Bishop Curry’s message on the couple’s selection of scripture from the Song of Solomon 8:6-7, noting that “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.” 

In the introduction of his new book on The Power of Love, Bishop Curry writes that “love is the most powerful force for personal change and for changing the world around us.  Yes, we live in scary times.  Yes, people are hurting.  Yes, people are hurting one another.  But anger is not the key; revenge is not the answer.  The way of love—the love and power of God—is the key to our hope and to our future.  The message of God is very simple.  Love one another.  Take care of one another.  Take care of creation.  And while you’re at it, love me—love God.”

Somehow, one of the top ten ads of all time from Coca-Cola began replaying in my mind when I read this.  When I Googled the title, I learned that the ad man who conceived this iconic song had been diverted to Shannon, Ireland while on a flight from New York to London due to fog.  I know all too well how flight changes due to weather can rile people up!  Bill Backer observed folks who had been enjoying each other’s company earlier but were now raising their voices.  So, he picked up a napkin and wrote “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke and Keep it Company”.  The finished song added the tag line “It’s the real thing”.  But what is the real thing?  I’d submit its love.  Love is the real thing that the world needs today that can keep us connected!  That’s the subliminal message that resonated!  The jingle was then filmed on a hillside in Italy featuring a very diverse group of singers.  Later, The New Seekers recorded their version of “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing in Perfect Harmony” which also struck a chord with people around the world.

The Way of Love is what Verna J. Dozier called “The Dream of God”.  Isaiah saw the dream in chapter 11 when the earth would be full of the knowledge that God is Love.  We are all brothers and sisters of the family of God.  We are called to not only be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word!  And when we rally together to support and encourage one another this dream of God can be fulfilled one person at a time for all humanity and all creation.  

 Love came down at Christmastime in perfect harmony!

SEEKING A PATH FORWARD

Ferrin Knob Tunnel, Blue Ridge Parkway

I serendipitously channel surfed onto the CBS Good Morning show today and happened upon a conversation involving the family of Alaina Housley, the 18 year old that was the youngest victim of the most recent mass shooting in this country.  Her body had just been returned to her home town in Napa, California and her father remarked that "We don't believe that her voice will die. We believe that there is a message that's out there."

When the interviewer asked "What's the message?", Alaina’s father simply responded:

"To us, it's to be kind to one another. It's to put down your technology, put down your phones and look at somebody and have a conversation. It's not about gun control; this message is about doing something bigger, to be with your community, to love one another."

"What if somebody walked up to the guy and just asked him how he was doing that day and said 'hello' to him or did something that may have just changed his mind, instead of ignoring, or whatever we're doing?"

When the Son of God was asked by the religious leaders what was the greatest commandment of all the over 600 in existence at the time, he simply responded that we are to love God and love one another.  Period.

Alaina’s uncle, a former news correspondent, was right when he stated that if he mentioned the controversial issue of gun control, the defense shields would automatically be deployed around many people and much communication would end.  This applies to all the controversial issues today that appear to have no viable solutions, certainly those moral issues that those in power seek to legislate.

I used to facilitate a management skills course in employee conflict resolution where the key point was to focus on the behavior, issue or situation and absolutely not on the individual.  If you started the conversation with the offender’s name, the defense shields would immediately deploy—end of conversation!  In the case of contentious issues, we may need an even more basic starting point—focus on our common humanity and nothing else, so that we can inch toward a productive resolution.  And don’t provoke the communication shields to deploy! 

There may be some that will never be open to finding some common ground, but when those who seek to follow divine guidance come together and speak from the heart, some progress can happen.  Perhaps just enough to find a starting path to a better way forward into the light. 

CIRCLE REFLECTION

Circle Egret, Jamestown, NC

A circle is the reflection of eternity which has no beginning and no end.