Monday, May 07, 2007

what if you don't know anyone else?

One of today's lectionary Bible texts for Christian worship services was John 13:31-35

31When [Judas Iscariot] had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

I've been thinking about this after a full day of preaching, talking, listening, sharing, and dreaming. How do you share such love if you have no one to share it with? That might sound stupid, but seriously if you know no one else to share it with - or maybe have no one else who wants to hear what you have to say or witness what you're doing - how could you ever love another as we believe Christ loves us and call us to love? Most faith sharing or faith encounter discussions are between someone who pratices one faith and someone who doesn't, but how can you ever hope to have such a discussion if you know no one who doesn't think exactly like you, share the same beliefs, or same worldview?

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