L IS FOR LOVE — OF WHICH WE NEED MORE.

Three things last:
faith, hope, and love,
but the greatest of them
is love.  ~ Saul of Tarsus, Christian Apostle

Hatred does not cease by hatred,
but only by love; 
this is the eternal rule.  ~ Gautama Buddha

Bear, being short on time, but wanting to "hang in" with the A - Z Challenge, will be brief.

I was asked sometime ago by a friend, how to define the word "love," as it appears in the Bible. He was really unsatisfied with a lot of the current language that is being used.

I said perhaps compassion would be the best word in our time and place.

He wrote back, saying, "Yeah. That works."

I'm not thinking of erotic attraction or friendship. The love I'm considering in intentional. It doesn't depend on liking, or not liking, a person or people.

That's why it runs all the way of simple kindness to complex justice, which has been my point for the last couple of days.

K IS FOR KINDNESS — WHICH WE NEED TO TRY, SOME MORE

You got to try a little kindness
Yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light 
for everyone to see.  ~ Curt Sapaugh and Bobby Austin

(sung by Glen Campbell)

Do justice,

love kindness,

walk humbly with God.  ~ Micah, prophet of Israel.

And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water  ... shall not lose his reward. ~ Jesus, prophet of Israel, and Christ.

Love, Justice and Kindness

I usually think of simple kindness as a key element in loving people. This is the "no big deal" kind of thing we do every day. Help a stranger find directions. Giving some unemployed person, who has been reduced to begging on the street, a dollar or two. Or phoning a friend who you have not seen for a while, especially if this friend is facing hard times of whatever sort.

It is the simple things — from words of support to larger acts of generosity, which make life more bearable. Or Bearable.

WELL, I WOKE UP SUNDAY MORNING . . . (2)

SO, I got to the point of saying Jesus didn't die for our sins.

Now, on to something which people may find even more puzzling.

I'm less and less inclined to think, or talk, of "sin." For four reasons.

First, I've thought, for a very long time, that humans are naturally self-centred. Which seems logical. If you aren't concerned about your welfare, if you don't pay attention to living, you die. That seems incredibly simple.

Second, I think that all of us are spiritual beings having a human experience. I take it to be true that we are "made in the image of God." Which means that, on some level, we are divine beings.

That being said, the third point. As self-centred beings, and also divine beings, having an "unusual" experience. How do we fit in? That is the question that stays with us all through our lives. We might use the word "socialization," or something like that. The overall message is that kindness, or compassion, is the most helpful thing. And that, really, is the opposition of self-centredness.

So we reach the point of recognizing that we are imperfect people, living in an imperfect world. Yes, we have "defects of character," because we have not learned entirely to fit into the community which surrounds us, and we're still worried about our own self-preservation. One of the functions of faith, or spirituality, or whatever you call it, is to find creative ways to live with one another.

In the end, the conflict is between self and community. And the more uncertain — more frightened — we become, the more we are likely to focus on self-preservation, and the less likely we are to focus on community. Which is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing. Because we cannot do it all ourselves. Simply put, my survival depends on your survival. 

We don't normally think of life on such stark terms. We often tend to consider ourself as self-made people, who worship our creator (i.e., ourselves).

Yes, I know; that is a lot of territory to cover in a short space. But I'm trying not to bore you.