Love Anyway

I wake up; I look at my phone. Something terrible has happened. You would think this would be a rare occurrence, but in America, it's not. It's almost a daily routine.

A man shot and killed people in a gay night club just because he didn't agree with their sexuality.
A police officer shot and killed a black man because he was reaching for his license.
A sniper shot multiple police officers because they were white.

"I don't understand it," I told my fiancé while we were watching the aftermath of what happened last night on television this morning. How can anyone have that much hate in their heart for someone just because of something as simple as the color of their skin, their sexuality, or their faith. I do not know how we got here, and I pray that we can find a path to righteousness. However, I fear that we go thicker into the woods with every day that passes.

I still believe, although it is really hard to these days, people are essentially good at heart. I think people want to do the right thing. No one is born being "bad" or "evil." We are taught these skills, whether directly by our parents, our environment, television, or simply life circumstances. What we are doing today is not fostering loving relationships but further separating us. Further pointing out how we are all so different, when in reality, we are all really the same. Just people. Human beings that want to be loved.

I listened to the mayor and the police chief of Dallas this morning express they were men of faith, and they requested everyone pray for our country today. I am a woman of faith too, and if I wasn't, I would be lost in the world we live in today. This world where "bad" is emphasized, and "good" is so often overlooked. Every bad thing that happens, I always think of this piece of scripture:

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?

Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

I know people like to cherry pick from the Bible to reinforce their agenda and belief system, but the consistent message in the New Testament is plain and simple, LOVE ONE ANOTHER. I dare you to read the Gospel and count how many times the word love is used. This is what Jesus taught; he spoke directly to his disciples and told them EVERYTHING hinges on LOVE. Your neighbor is not just the person that lives next door. It is your coworker, your best friend, your husband or wife, your mother and father, your sibling, the person that works at the gas station, the person at the drive-thru window, and even people who look different than you, who act different  than you, and who do things that you don't understand. It even includes the people you don't really care for, so love them anyway. Just like Mother Teresa said, "Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the best you've got anyway." Whether you believe in Jesus, God, or some other higher being, what if we ALL just practiced these two commandments? I honestly believe the world we live in would be different because when you are loving someone there is no room left to judge. So let's start loving one another today, even when it is hard, and we don't feel like it. Even when people are mean and hateful. Even when they don't love us in return. Love anyway. Just like a wise man once said, "I have decided to stick with love, hate is too great a burden to bear."

Love one another and be happy. -M