Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
~ Matthew 7:21
And what is the Father’s will for us? To love Him and one another.
We are called to love and there is no other feeling more wonderful that falling in love, staying in love and simply being in love. But love is not always a bed of roses. Love is sometimes the most difficult thing to do. Jesus spells it out for us:
- Love is doing good not only to those who are good to us but even to those who hate us and are our enemies.
- Love is accepting the hurt that comes with loving and being ready to forgive who have wronged us, seventy times seven.
- Love is serving and ministering to strangers, specially those that have fallen among thieves and bad times.
- Love is being willing to lay down one’s life for friends and principles.
And today, the Lord still calls us to love. Not only in good times but even more strongly in bad times.
It is easy, indeed wonderful, to love family and friends and those who are good to us. The challenge is to love, accept and do good to those who hate us and would do us harm instead.
It is easy and we’d love to mis it up with people who are like us and who like us. The challenge is to celebrate and find joy and strength in our differences and diversity instead of letting these cause division and hostility.
It is easy to give and share from the excess and abundance of what we have. The challenge is how to share equitably resources that are limited and desired by many without depriving others of what is essential for them to live and be happy.
It seems easy and desirable that we rely on ourselves alone and be independent. the challenge is to acknowledge that we are not in control and that God ultimately is in control.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.