No one said it would be easy...

Well no one should have said it would be easy. That does not stop an unnamed televangelist who Jesus is teaching me to love from saying it!

This brings me to my next question. Why don't we love our neighbor and pursue justice?

I believe that it takes effort. Sometimes we decide that it is too much effort. It seems like I often hear the part of scripture where the Jesus says his yoke is easy and burden light , however, I do recall another scripture that I do not hear quite as frequently...Jesus called us to take up our own cross and follow Him. It takes work to bless those who curse you or curse at you and love those who smell bad or look funny. This week I struggled to be patient with someone who spoke another language. In my weakness, I started thinking that this person was being rude. Then, that still small voice whispered to me, maybe she is as nervous as I was about communicating with someone in a language that is not my own. It takes being patient in a fast-food-fast-paced-one-click shopping world to be able to love while living in this world. It takes laying down my pride and my fears about what someone will think or say about me hanging out with people who are unpopular or different. It is about looking into another person's eyes and seeing who they are created to be, rolling up our sleaves, and deciding to be a part of helping them get there. That is love. And when we do it, we get to get a taste of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.
Do Love!