Meeting Love

Daily Gratitude Year 7 - Day 45: Today, I am grateful for meeting love. 

This world is full of people who compare people. Judgements are often made quickly, through the myopic lens of experience, culture, color or religious tradition. Humans are all full of opinions. The glaring one that we all share is that our opinion is correct. 

I know this from personal experience.  With names like Lindgren, Daschner and Guttendorf in my family tree... we have a pretty good handle on opinionated and stubborn. Unfortunately, that same grit that makes for good workers and persistent people, can surface as opinions that are more hurtful than helpful at times.  

For this Valentines Day post, I think a Bob Goff quote is appropriate. Mr. Love Does says:

"I don't want people to meet my opinions, I want them to meet love." - Bob Goff

When we express love before opinions, it opens the door of influence where people are hurting, struggling and sinking. We live in a culture where people literally are screaming for their rights and opinions. The problem is that one persons so called rights often step on another person's rights and opinions. Whose are more important? 

Jesus lived at a time without social media, but not without social opinions. He lived at a time where the moral compass of the culture was spinning out of control, with many unable to find a sense of true north. Human acted brutally toward each other. Immorality was rampant. Children were sacrificed. Unarmed humans against lions sold out stadiums for entertainment. 

Jesus was an anomaly. They didn't quite know how to respond. 

Those with strict religious codes were offended by his "love before rules" approach. He met people where they were, not fretting about if they were considered deplorables by the social elite. Some were unwanted amongst "the least of these". The sick, the lonely, the scared, the friendless and the unwanted in society were drawn to his love. 

Love was His way. It still is. 

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”-John 13:34-35

Meeting love is unforgettable. Be unforgettable. Be love. 
Love changes everything. 

Today, I am grateful for meeting love.