Loving advice

Have you ever stepped in something that has a particular, er, odor? Yeah, me too.

Read this, then: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

For this is our command, our loving precept, our marching orders, and our mission statement.

Jesus added to it, however. He added, of course, "And your neighbor as yourself."

Clear?

Then why are we arguing? Why do we squabble? And by we, I mean Christians.

We fret over all sorts of things, yet we never love enough to get things truly done.

In my little neck of the woods, and by that I mean the United Methodist Church, we will meet in General Conference in May of this year. It should be a knock-down, drag-out fight.

But I wished it wasn't. We need to love our neighbor as ourselves, and let all the other stuff wash over us.

Simple?

Then why are we arguing? What do we squabble, and by we, I mean Christians.

The joy of the Lord is our strength; then why are we fighting so much?

It's all so easy -- and so darn hard -- this idea of loving despite.

But it is what we're called to do. Every bit off ourselves should be committed to loving those we wouldn't care for in some circumstances. 

Our identity should be found in He who died for us, and all this other stuff should wash right off our shoes. 

Love the Lord our God. Love. Your. Neighbor. As yourself.

Tough teaching. Great living. We should be about our Father's business.