What the hell...

Unlove.
Hate.

Like most thinking and feeling people in our nation today, I am heartsick.  Broken.
Devastated.  Overwhelmed.

Look here, please:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcneal/orlando-shooting-victims?utm_term=.wbxa613Jn4#.hkAvW6qeGy

These people matter.  They matter to God.  They matter to us.
Get to know them.  Look at their faces.
Pray for their friends and family.  It is terrifying and horrible.

This...is...so...far...from...okay.

UNLOVE.
Our hearts have grown cold as we whine and bitch about whatever political party doesn't support our soapbox. Guns, no guns...gay marriage, no gay marriage.  As long as we can holler, we don't have to stop and realize these are real people, with real lives and real hearts. We don't have to accept responsibility for the hurt all our hollering and carrying on produce.  This is called UNLOVE.
It is sin.
It is not okay.
It is so far from biblical, it isn't even funny.
And unlove leads to lawlessness.
Lawlessness that purchases assault weapons.

Do you know who Jesus loved?
JUDAS.
That's right.
Jesus loved Judas.
He loved the guy who sold him out for 30 silver coins and started the ball rolling to Jesus' murder.
JESUS LOVED JUDAS.
Judas was one of the twelve.
Jesus loved him, knowing full well what would happen.  He knew what Judas would do.
He loved him anyway.

Who are we to not love?
Or to not try?
I know we can't love perfectly because we are a hot mess, but we can try.
We can value.
We can value all people.
They are created in God's image.  He loves them.  He wants US to love them.
It's not a suggestion, it's part of the GREAT COMMANDMENT.

I don't care whether you agree with someone's opinions or politics or nail polish.
I don't care whether they are white, black, brown, or purple plaid.  It doesn't matter whether they are gay, straight, transgender or whatever.  I don't care if they are gluten-free, vegan or carnivorous.


THE COMMAND IS TO LOVE.
Period.
It is not judge, and then love.
Judging isn't our call.
And by the way, brother or sister in Christ, did YOU have all your sin and crap sorted when you gave your heart to Jesus?  Did you get all cleaned up and gussied up and fixed?
Or did He meet you in the hot mess you were in?  Imperfect, sinning, wreaking havoc in your life and possibly those around you?

That's what I thought.

We love.  That is what we do.
We love and we serve- and do whatever we can to bring reconciliation between the world and Jesus.
Shouting hate does not accomplish this.
Judging does not accomplish this.
Not listening does not accomplish this.
Arrogance does not accomplish this.

Love does.
Grief does.
Truth does.
Caring does.
Doing does.
Hugging does.
Weeping does.
Serving does.

We ALL need to humble ourselves, and question our heart motives.
Is there unlove in us?
Love is under attack.

How do we fight back?