Live Welcoming to All

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

You have heard that it was said, ‘you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:43-44

Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brethren you did it to me. Matthew 25:40

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

While reading Firstlight, a collection of essays from Sue Monk Kidd, I was struck by similarities to what we’d been hearing in sermons and studies regarding compassion earlier this spring.

“How should one live?”

“Live

Welcoming

To all”

Sue shares an instance when she was on a train and the woman seated across from her was crying. This woman was a stranger, and Sue opted not to reach out in any way. She regretted it later, but reading the above words caused the image of that woman on the train to haunt her. Missed opportunity for compassion, connection, relief of others’ suffering.

How “available” are we to others? Are we wrapped up in our own problems? Sometimes I wonder the meaning of guilt in my life. Is it an admonition to do better? Is it me, not giving my self a “break”? Should I not be so hard on myself? Maybe, but I think guilt can be a bit of a prompt, helping us to ask ourselves tougher questions. Should I have reached out to---? What does that mean, to reach out? What can I do differently next time?

What would it take to “live welcoming to all”?

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to live more like the example you set for us. Sometimes we don’t know exactly what that means, so help us when we need to listen, share tears with someone, be a non-judgmental ear. Amen.

Donna Gustafson