All the Hubbub!

In recent days there has been a lot of chatter, er uh should I say debate, or rather too much noise generated by varying, micro focused opinions. Are white cops racist? What pictures should be removed from government buildings? What flags should we be allowed to fly? Should gay and lesbian men and women have the right to marry? And is Dukes of Hazard appropriate at all? I've even seen some debate on whether or not paying it forward in a Starbucks is an acceptable distribution of kindness (scratching head).

My response to all the noise is to remain focused, motivated by love. Here's the truth, I am mandated by my Christian faith to love my neighbors, to exemplify my Lord and Savior in my actions and interactions with others. I'm not mandated to agree with their actions or interactions. However, whether I love them or not is not to be based on that. 

                                                          Love is a decision we make; a commitment; something we do.

My job is to walk in love and serve as a light in the darkest of times.

                                                            To be an encourager;  come up alongside my brothers and sisters; to be love in action.

To be distracted, unfocused by conversations not wrapped in love; often moved by hate, fear, or the idolization of combat would be to act against my faith. It would be disobedient. And, I know this my friends, any walk I've done in my own way, in my own strength has eventually become a path of destruction. It never seems so at first, it feels right! It feels just! It feels exciting! That's because temptation, distractions from faith, is often a mixture of exciting lies laced with truth. We need to be better than that! We need to stand firm and combat the temptation of hateful and hurtful behavior or thinking we eliminate it by arguing over an never ending list of distractions.

Ask this of the hubbub, what is solved at the end of each of these debates? Do they cut to the core of an issue that should actually be addressed or just cause more conflict?

My Challenge to all of you is to insert a symbol of love where you might otherwise inert your opinion. Spread the Love of Christ in His very manner, with humility and grace.