. . . WITH HIS LOVE –

Along with the rest of the world I’m deeply distressed about what is happening in the United States—and the whole world. And some of the people who are most being affected are those I care about—people with mental and physical disabilities. They are people who are being cared for by the people I’m connecting with here—people who live out of love for others.

And I’m thinking especially about a man who turned the world around, starting 2000 years ago—not from a heart of hatred like we are seeing in another man today but from a heart filled with love. The man I’m thinking about is Jesus and how changed the injustice in his world creating a better world.

Jesus was known for his kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12). He calls us to love in the way he did by caring for the sick and providing the lonely with friendship.

But Jesus had a lot more than those qualities alone. He was a complex individual with traits that seem contradictory. Jesus was a radical social activist, dying as he fought for justice and the common good.

Through his efforts to change the status quo, he became probably the most revolutionary person who ever lived. That’s a drastically different way of seeing Jesus than the gentle person described above.

During Jesus’ three year ministry, he challenged everything about the world’s way of thinking. He boldly faced injustice, turning the moral standards of the world’s values upside down with his Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). He promoted the importance of love, compassion, peace, and justice. The changes he brought to the world differed from anything that had gone before.

Yes, Jesus was a man with many diverse features. But I believe all of them were wrapped in one overriding factor. They were all part of his great and boundless love. With this love Jesus fought the injustice that was so prevalent. The world is a different place because of his ministry two thousand years ago. And today we are called to follow his teachings and his example.

In the chaos of our world today, please remember Jesus and learn from him.

marja