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In a world that is constantly enraged, you may be tempted to dis-engage. With the ongoing news of peaceful protest, rioting, injustice, mistreatment of others, unrest, and disrespect for our men and women in blue, you may want to bury your head in the sand. Honestly, I do. The negative and hurtful news is too much to take in.
So what is a gal to do when she wants to act like an ostrich?
Well, to quote my friend, if your head is in the sand, then it leaves your backside in the air exposed, for a swift kick. HAHA! So let us lift our head to be men and women of great courage and character. I challenge you to engage and to demonstrate courageous love.
How?
First, we must FULLY engage, not disengage. Engage in fighting the good fight. Engage to help others. Engage in praying for others. Engage in loving all people. Engage in making this world a better place. Engage in having conversations with your children. Engage in loving others as Christ loves us.
God’s word tells us that the greatest commandments are to love the Lord and others. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:34-39 (ESV)
Second, we must have courageous love. This passage is followed by the parable of the good Samaritan.
“But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37 (ESV)
The good Samaritan went to the hurting. He bound wounds. He took care of others. He gave to others. The Good Samaritan was moved by need. He crossed tremendous racial and cultural boundaries in the process.
God tells us to do the same. Go to those who are hurting. Bound their wounds. Care for them. Help others. Friend, there is a hurting world that needs you to demonstrate God’s compassion. Let’s stand for truth. Let’s make the world a better place. Let’s be fully engaged with those around us. Let’s be willing and eager to disregard racial and cultural boundaries. Let’s see people as God does; beautiful.
Lift your head and live with courageous love. There is no need to bury your head in the sand. Your backside will thank you later. 🙂