14. AN ADVENT AMONG OTHER THINGS: LOVE OVER EXCLUSION

Monday, December 23rd

This past spring, when I and several others spoke before our county commissioners to defend our local Pride event (for the LGTBQ+ community), one woman yelled out to us, “We just don’t want you to go to hell!”

As much as I found her concern presumptuous and misguided, I knew that she sincerely meant what she said; she felt it was her responsibility to keep us from defending what she believed would lead to our condemnation. In a way, I actually felt sad for her. I wondered what it would be like to live in such a fear of God–to not only live in fear for my personal life but to be responsible for everyone else’s.

I am very grateful to understand that God has lovingly created this world with unique and beautiful diversity. The love of Christ comes to us as God’s hope for universal love and unity, and as God’s desire for mutual acceptance and understanding. This love is God’s presence with us, displayed each time Jesus encouraged the marginalized, lifted the oppressed, helped the suffering, comforted the mourning, and welcomed the stranger. This love is God’s wisdom shared in the teachings of Jesus, about being blessed in our own brokenness, being humble in our judgments, and being generous in our lovingkindness.

This gracious, liberating love is our eternal love and joy, right here and right now, the love and joy we can experience each time we speak, encourage, or help another, each time we follow the ways of Jesus, and each time we remove the boundaries of exclusion to welcome another in.

Thank you, God, for Jesus and for your loving relationship with us, an everlasting love to savor and to share, here and now.

(Photo by Karen)