To begin with, we need to see people for who they are, not what they are. A soul is not black or white, gay or straight, Democrat or Republican, male or female. Can we not see people as people and love them no matter who they are, what they look like, and what they believe?
I am white. However, in my soul, I am not white. Neither am I black, brown, purple, or green. My soul is neither a Republican nor a Democrat nor a Libertarian. My soul is I; and I am a person created in the image of God, for the purpose of loving God, loving others, and loving myself.
"Hold on—love...myself?" Yes, love myself. There is no reason you should not love yourself. In fact, this apparently small act can have enormous effects. Likewise, not loving yourself can have equally huge effects of a completely different nature. We as humans both love our individual selves very much and entirely too little. We lavish pleasures and comforts upon ourselves and take pride in our work; yet, at the same time, we destroy our self-image and that of others. "How does that happen?" you might ask. Here is the sad truth: sometimes we hate ourselves, slowly tearing down our sense of self-worth; and sometimes we hate others. When we display our contempt for others, we adequately rip apart their sense of meaning and value.
"Hold on—love...myself?" Yes, love myself. There is no reason you should not love yourself. In fact, this apparently small act can have enormous effects. Likewise, not loving yourself can have equally huge effects of a completely different nature. We as humans both love our individual selves very much and entirely too little. We lavish pleasures and comforts upon ourselves and take pride in our work; yet, at the same time, we destroy our self-image and that of others. "How does that happen?" you might ask. Here is the sad truth: sometimes we hate ourselves, slowly tearing down our sense of self-worth; and sometimes we hate others. When we display our contempt for others, we adequately rip apart their sense of meaning and value.
The hatred we show our fellow people belittles and hurts them, causing them to spew hatred right back.
Can we not simply love people? If you disagree with someone's lifestyle, then disagree and love them anyway. If your opinion differs from another's, let it differ and love them anyway. If you feel uncomfortable around some people, you have a right to keep your distance and love them anyway.
If we love people no matter what (not tolerate them, or even accept them, but love them), they will begin to love back. It will not be easy, but at least it is straightforward.
Just love.
The labels we use to define others are barriers that hinder the reach of love. However, one day our outer selves that we use to identify each other will go away, and we will not be defined as one race or another, one sex or the other. The only defining factor in the end will be whether or not someone is a child of God. And we, as children of God, need to stop defining people by how we see them, and start loving them like God loves them.
If we love people no matter what (not tolerate them, or even accept them, but love them), they will begin to love back. It will not be easy, but at least it is straightforward.
Just love.
The labels we use to define others are barriers that hinder the reach of love. However, one day our outer selves that we use to identify each other will go away, and we will not be defined as one race or another, one sex or the other. The only defining factor in the end will be whether or not someone is a child of God. And we, as children of God, need to stop defining people by how we see them, and start loving them like God loves them.
"For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Galatians 3:26-28
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