Be Love

While I am being honest there is something else on my mind. I am a Christian, as a Christian I am taught that the greatest commandment is,  "Love the Lord your God with all your might..." and that the 2nd greatest is "like it. Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Matt 22:36 and 39

Not, "Love the person that believes as you do." Not, "Love the neighbor that goes to the same church and has the same friends." Not even, "Love the illegal immigrant and hate the Republican next door."

Just, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

Do you curse yourself? Wish evil on yourself? Burn down your own home? Of course you don't.

Yet everyday I see "Christians" posting on my timeline about the heathens that should be barred from voting, lose their homes, their families, their jobs, their very lives because they are not "Christian."

I see "Christians" who follow Hebrew laws that Christ delivered us from 2000 years ago. Those same "Christians" give grace to Jews because "they are God's chosen people," but refuse to give grace to Muslims, to drug addicts, to anyone else who believes differently. Because Jews do not believe that Christ is the Messiah.

Yes, I used quote marks everytime I typed "Christians" in that last paragraph. I used quotes because those people are *not* the kind of Christian I aspire to be and that means that that particular use of the word is euphemistic as far as I am concerned.

I am so far from perfect that I put myself in hell. But even I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus found people where they were. The prostitutes, the tax collectors, the thieves. He went to find them where they were.

When He found them He did not attack, accuse, berate, or belittle. He accepted them and bade them to come to Him. "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28 (NIV)

He showed them by example how to improve their lives. He showed them how to love.

How can any true follower of Christ demean any other person, anywhere in this world and still think they are Christian?

How can any follower of Christ believe it is their place to judge another human being for anything, let alone their beliefs?

Do you (the general you) actually believe that by being dictatorial, holier than thou, critical, and hateful you are DRAWING people to Christ?

What on God's green earth makes you think that a sane person would actually want to become angry, belligerent, and narrow-minded like the lunatic putting them down and calling them names?!?

How can you call yourself a Christian if you demand adherence to laws that "Christ" released us from and then refuse to follow the second greatest commandment because it doesn't suit you??

No, seriously, please help me understand how you are loving people to Christ?!

When I first started going back to church with Daddy when I came home I was not comfortable. I was determined to go once and make excuses to not go back.

God had other plans. Not only did I go back, I went back that night and everytime the doors were opened until November of 2014.

I went back and kept going back not because I was lectured to, derided, or chastised. I went back because I was loved.

I went back because Nana Mae, Papa Roy, Suzy, Tina, Holly, Mrs Sue, and everyone else loved me, right where I was, broken, bruised, and defeated. In the depths of grief over losing Moma, they loved me.

It didn't matter that I smoked, or cursed. What I wore was fine. Makeup? Beautiful! No makeup? Beautiful! No. Matter. What. They just loved me.

They cheered my small victories, they wept with me when I was defeated. One particular bible study never made it beyond opening prayer because I was broken.

Instead of a bible study, it became a "Jesus Study." So called by me because every lady in that room became my very personal and intimate Jesus that night.

For 2 straight hours they listened, they cried, they prayed, and they LOVED me, warts and all.

THAT is what being a Christian should be. Love. Just love. Because if you truly love, you will never lose a soul. That is a promise. A promise from God.

Just stop the madness. Stop being black, white, Hispanic, Republican, Democrat, Christian, Muslim, rich, poor, or any other label that divides.

Be love. No matter what, the one thing, the ONLY thing that will ever solve anything is love.

It is really that simple.