It was my privilege to visit our beautiful Epcot Center. Whenever I come in contact with some of the wonderful things man is capable of, I find myself praising God for his generosity toward us.
One of the things a visit like this does is to aid in breaking down that old tool of the devil, prejudice. Traveling through the pavilions of the various countries we are exposed to the wonderful art, music and people of other cultures. They share with their joy, their laughter and songs and themselves. We find ourselves charmed by the warmth and joy of the African dancers; we find the chubby Chinese baby as lovable and winsome as our own; we find our feet tapping to the rhythm of a Mexican street band, and thoughts of heather and mists arrive at the call of Scottish pipes.
When Jesus told us to love one another he meant all of us. Underneath our coverings we are all more alike than different. All have known joy and sorrow and need the love of friends. It would be wonderful if in the real world, we could look beneath the wrappings and really share with each other all the wonderful and varied gifts God has given us.
Susah Russell
Sue’s sharing says it all. If only we would look beneath. We are living in divided times. We seem so far apart from each other. Can we just stop and for once ask someone, "how are you doing? Tell me about yourself." It is amazing what could come from this conversation. We may find we have much in common with each other.
In the upcoming readings for Sunday May 1, we find the first letter of John Chapter 4 in which we are urged by the writer to love. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
If God is love, then we are love. It’s in our DNA, it is in our makeup, it is who we are. Yet we find it so difficult to do. Yes it is hard to love the person who has hurt us. But this is when you remember, this person is also a child of God and deserving of our forgiveness. Or, we are taught to fear someone because of false teachings and preconceived notions. All this does is create fear and confusion. And this is not love God's way.
Paul wrote these verses to show that without love, what do we actually have. “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
What do we really have if we do not love? Paul wants us to have that agape love. A love that does not rely on pride and knowledge but one which gives unselfishly, expecting nothing in return.
My friends, let us be children of God who love and embrace from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.
Enjoy I am a child of God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOrcqqpHCt8