Love and Hate

1 John 4:7-21
Like many of you, I’ve been reading news reports about the bombing in Boston on April 15, 2013. While the news is tragic and heartbreaking, I have been disappointed as well by comments left on various websites concerning the role of religion or politics in the event, even though no suspect or motive have been identified. As people of faith, we must take seriously the charges being leveled against us: that we are led to violence by our God; that our faith is one of hate and vengeance which––as one writer claimed––has overseen far more deaths than were caused by Hitler and Stalin combined; that were there no religions the world would be a better place. We need to hear these words not as truth, but as assumptions too often based on the acts of those who claim they believe in the God of Jesus Christ.

And when we have heard these words, we need to read from our epistle lesson for today: “We love because [God] first loved us. Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also” (1 John 4:19-21). Granted, to some these are just words on a page which is why we must learn to share God’s love unambiguously and without qualification. We must let the world know, to the best of our abilities, that God is love and that it is because of God that we are capable of showing love for one another even in the face of greatest evil.

One glimmer of hope to appear in the midst of yesterday’s turmoil is the renewed use of a quote from Fred Rogers, a man of faith who dedicated his life to enriching the lives of children. His mother’s advice to “look for the helpers” in scary times has resonated with many. You can find the original video of this quote at:

http://pbskids.org/rogers/parentsteachers/special/scarynews.html?guid=5dcfab82-485d-40e4-b398-6a8ed4eae64e

Rogers is not claiming that all helpers are people of faith, simply that there are always those who will show compassion in times of distress. Our job, as Christians, is to make sure that we are among the helpers, those who renounce acts of violence to embrace ministries of hope and reconciliation. This may not lead others to share our faith, but it will serve the will of a loving God and will help to push back the darkness of evil with the light of life.

Prayer: Lord, we pray for all those who are victims of violence and ask your peace to be upon all people this day, in Boston and around the world, so that all may enjoy your gift of abundant life, now and forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Current Events

1 John 1:1-10

As I write these words a small stream has developed in our normally dry backyard. It is a product of recent unrelenting rain. Yesterday, for the first time that I can remember, I was prevented from leading a worship service because of flood waters that made my trip difficult and unsafe. And the rain continues to fall on this part of Arkansas. Then last night came word of the death of Osama bin Laden. This news has caused a different sort of stream to develop around the world, an outpouring of emotion and, in this country at least, relief. I see a connection of sorts between the two situations. If we are not careful we may be carried away in our response to bin Laden’s death the way flood waters sweep away a person or a vehicle.

“This is the message we have heard from (Jesus Christ) and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true…” (1 John 10:5-6). God is light, no matter what may be happening in our world or in our lives. To say we are God’s people and yet choose to live in the shadows is to get it wrong and to go astray. In times of greatest stress or of greatest emotion we must strive more earnestly to follow God’s will, to live in the light. One potential danger that looms for Americans is self-congratulations or gloating. We live in a world as full of violence and oppression today as it was yesterday. The rivers of injustice surge over their banks and inundate peoples of all nations and ethnicities. Storm clouds of idolatry drift above our heads. Darkness remains a tempting retreat from the responsibilities of the light.

How people of faith react in the coming days will be very telling. This is no time to pause in our efforts to build true and lasting community with others. This is no time to take our eyes off the needs of our world. This is no time to speak of “winning” or of “us vs. them.” Such actions will only add to the flood of hatred and mistrust that regularly sweeps our world. Now is the time for honesty, for light, for God’s will. Now is the time to work even harder to reach blessed consensus both at home and abroad, to set aside our differences and to allow our similarities to show us the way to go. Until the reign of God arrives in its fullness the waters will continue to lap at the foundations of goodness. To dwell in the darkness is to give up all hope. These days we need God’s light as much as ever.

Prayer: Lord, you taught us to pray, even for our enemies and for those who persecute us. May your love and mercy be at work in all hearts—ours included—that your will be done. Amen.