God with us - Week 42: 1 John 4:7-8
As I write this, it's Saturday morning, and I'm watching the devastating coverage of the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess. I can't imagine what his family are going through, and I'm saddened that this is the second time I've written about the tragic murder of a public servant.
On Father's Day 2017, I wrote these words:
A year ago, Jo Cox, the Labour MP for Batley, was brutally murdered, leaving behind her husband and two young children. After such a mindless act of violence, it would have been easy for Brendan Cox to be consumed by anger and hatred, but instead, he decided to honour Jo's memory, bring people across the country together and write a book about his wife, ensuring that her legacy lived on. This weekend many people have been involved in the Great British Get Together championing Jo's belief that, "We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than the things that divide us.
Brendan and his family rejected a pathway of hate and chose to bring people together in honour of Jo's memory. Jo was right, we have far more in common with each other than what divides us, but it must be hard for her family to see how many of those strong divisions remain.
Caveat: a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
As people shared their condolences and expressed their grief at the death of Sir David Amess, many felt the need to provide a caveat. They had to point out how their political views differed before being able to share their "thoughts and prayers." It didn't sit comfortably with me and many others on social media. There doesn't seem to be a desire to disagree respectfully anymore, and it runs so deep that even amid tragedy, some feel the need to highlight our differences.
The challenge for those who profess faith in Christ is that there are no caveats. We are loved unconditionally and called to love others in the same way. Just take a look at our Scripture for this week:
7 Those who are loved by God, let his love continually pour from you to one another, because God is love. Everyone who loves is fathered by God and experiences an intimate knowledge of him. 8 The one who doesn't love has yet to know God, for God is love. 9 The light of God's love shined within us when he sent his matchless Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins.
11 Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then "loving one another" should be our way of life!
1 John 4:7-11 (TPT)
As someone who claims to be a follower of Jesus, I felt challenged by these questions:
What caveats do I place on loving others the way God loves me?
As a Christian community, have we fallen into the pattern of placing caveats on our love for others depending on their lifestyle choices, moral standing or political allegiance?
Are we afraid people may think we no longer stand for "Christian values" without the caveat?
At times, loving others can be challenging, especially when their views differ so much from ours. But, if we're serious about reflecting the love of Jesus in our families and communities, then loving one another should be our way of life, caveat-free!
Kay Moorby
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