It's All About Love

I haven't blogged in several days although something has been rolling around in my spirit. I spent yesterday writing and woke up this morning realizing I'd made a big mistake in Copper Penny. I've made some drastic changes to that novel and need to make more. Lying in bed I decided I'd just let it go. If someone buys it, then I'll face making those changes again. This is a small thing in the scheme of life.

One of our close friends is facing cancer treatment. She, her husband and my husband and I had dinner one day last week. We prayed together on the sidewalk of a busy shopping center before saying good-bye. When I hugged her, I wanted to say what I was feeling, but that feeling surprised me so much I didn't. That feeling is what has been going around in my spirit.

I wanted to say, "I wish I could take this for you." Even as I write it, tears come to my eyes because I really feel strongly that I would take it for her if I could. The only other person I've ever felt this for is one of my daughters, and that's only if she had to face something hard, which she hasn't so far. I'd rather it happen to me than to her.

I've been talking to God about all this since that day at the shopping center. Would I really carry it for her? I can't get away from the answer. Yes. I would if I could. In the beginning I wondered if it was because I thought I could do it better than she can. But she's strong. She's been through some serious heartbreak that only made her stronger. I know she can get through this with grace. So why?

What I believe God is showing me is how he felt about mankind. He hurt because we were suffering and knew he was the only answer. He came to earth as a man and saved us. His sacrifice was all about love and redemption.

As I tried to put all this together I came to a conclusion. I'm not God. Duh!
He did it for people who didn't deserve it. I couldn't do it if I thought the person had brought the suffering on himself. I couldn't do it for a rapist or a murderer or even a homeless person. As I let my mind run through all the people I know--all the ones I love, only these two stood out. I could do it for them but not the others. I'm big into justice. I believe we reap what we sow. I've sowed and God has saved me in spite of that. But with others who have reaped and they are sowing--well, justice says they deserve it. Pretty callous thinking and not a bit of grace and love and mercy there.

So, you can see I'm not that altruistic. In fact, I, like so many people, am self-centered. Until it comes to my friend and my daughter. For them I'd give my life and give it willingly if it would keep them from having to suffer. I don't know what all this means. I just know what I feel.

What Would Jesus Do and Say?

I've read two blogs in the last two days that interest and bother me.

Westover Baptist Church is in Tulsa (they don't have a church in that town) picketing a Billy Joel-Elton John concert with signs saying "God hates fags." That makes me sick. I don't claim to know what God is thinking, but I do not believe this is something God would say. If I'm not mistaken, Jesus said to love your enemies. That isn't to say Billy and Elton are his enemies, but Westover must think they are.

I'm the kind of person (unfortunately) who steps into the fray when I probably shouldn't. If I was there, believe me, I'd be talking to those people. On the other side, if they're supposed to love their enemies, so am I. So, instead of "talking to" them, I should be praying for their eyes to be open to see just how much God loves them. Nobody who knows God's love can withhold love from anyone else. That's what Jesus was talking about.

The other blog was about a mom in the park who was teaching teens and younger girls how to walk seductively--as in modeling. The blogger pulled her 6 year old away from the scene, which was the smartest thing she could do. What upset her was the way the modeling mom twisted her words, "This isn't appropriate" that she spoke quietly in explanation to her daughter, into something ugly.

Twisting words is what the Pharisees did with what Jesus said. Isn't that why He was crucified? They managed to turn everything He did into how He was breaking their law.

I see Westover doing that, and modeling mom doing the same thing. I could leave it at "This world is messed up" but I won't. What I'll say instead is, thank God for people who take stands for what is good and decent and how God would do it. I'm going to take a stab at what Jesus would do at the Joel-John concert. He'd go see them after the show, tell them how great their performance was and then He would put His arms around them and tell them How much He and God love them. I think He'd do the same thing with modeling mom. He'd put his arms around her and say something like, "I spoke through my servant when she took her daughter away. Hear her."

What do you think?