When Love Wins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was moved to tears as I walked toward the rally.

Seeing a street I travel often by car suddenly filled with bumper-to-bumper cars as well as an equal number of people  traveling by foot in order to reach a shared destination moved me.

As I stood in the crowd, I was overwhelmed as I witnessed people sharing so many intensely different kinds of beliefs, values, and convictions.

I heard people scream.

I heard people chant.

I heard people cheer.

At the very same time, I was overwhelmed as I watched people show love.

I watched Bible college students and ministers reach out to people who often feel hated.

I watched church members hand out water to any person who was thirsty.

I watched policeman protect citizens even at the risk of being hurt themselves.

Unbearable heat with little shade didn’t keep the crowd from staying til the very end.

No matter what side you were on yesterday,

one thing was very clear.

People want to be heard.

People want to feel loved.

People long to be valued.

I love that when Jesus was approached by a lawyer many years ago about how to inherit eternal life,

He didn’t just reply with a quick and clear answer.

Instead, he allowed the lawyer to be heard, feel loved, and feel valued.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

Upon hearing this, the lawyer responded as any good lawyer would with yet another question,

“Who then is my neighbor?” he asked.

I’m not sure if the atorney was trying to trip Jesus up or if he really wanted to be sure he followed the law to a tee.

Whatever the case, Jesus went on to share the story of the good Samaritan.

I love this about Jesus.

I love that He didn’t call the lawyer out or make him feel bad for not quite understanding.

Instead, Jesus simply shared a story.

A story about who our neighbor is and what love looks like in action.

Yesterday, I watched many good Samaritans show love in the midst of a lot of anger and hate.

I don’t have all the answers, but I do know this:

Yesterday I watched love win, and it was a beautiful thing.