This One Thing

I seek to love my neighbor as myself. That would seem obvious for a preacher of the teachings of Jesus, but maybe we need to say it again. Love one another. And I don’t remember any additions to the command. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s hard enough without trying to add a lot of fine print. Love your child, your grandchildren, your neighbor you don’t agree with. Love them, gay, straight, trans, prisoner, judge, immigrant and the DAR lady. Love them, Trumper, Liberal, and none of the above. Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Rotarians, Knights of Columbus, or atheists. … Continue reading This One Thing

When Nobody Knows Your Name

Well, I was walking around as a suburban kid in Dayton, Ohio in the early 70s singing this song, if you can imagine. Motherless children have a hard time when their mother is gone. Motherless children have it so hard when their mother is gone. Motherless children have a very hard time. All that weeping, all that crying. Motherless children have it so hard when their mother is gone. Oh, people say that a sister will do when the mother is gone. People say that a sister will do when the mother is gone. Oh, people say that a sister … Continue reading When Nobody Knows Your Name

Love, Justice, and Perseverance

I read an excellent post this morning from Rich Havard, who was in our congregation as a student and now works in community building and social change in his adult life. It is an excellent piece about the struggles of being a person who is intentional in his spiritual journey working in a real world where sometimes there is puzzlement or antipathy toward the notion. He asked, “What place do spirituality and love have in the quest for a just world?” He spurred me to think about it. It’s an excellent piece I commend for your thinking. In his book, … Continue reading Love, Justice, and Perseverance