I recently found myself in a conversation with my supervisor about distributing addi-tional resources to a program. The decision was made not to provide the resources as they had not participated fully in the training connected to the resources. I am afraid I did not do a good job of masking my emotions and the expression that briefly came across my face. After some time to reflect I realized that my irritation with the decision, and the overall approach projected by my supervisor, was theological. It is abundance versus hoarding. My supervisor chose to be punitive over generous. My emotion was based in offense at our tendency to hoard materials and resources. Jesus explicitly teaches us not to store up treasures on earth (Matt. 6: 19-21). I find myself wondering how do we live out love of neighbor in our daily conversations and decisions?
Jesus tells us that as he loves us, we should love one another. It is through our love of one another that we enact the love of God. We strive to be a disciple of Jesus by loving like Jesus – by living like, looking like, loving like Jesus.
PRAYER
Creator God, we pray to you in continuous love and gratitude. Thank you for all that you have provided and continue to provide. Help us to trust in your never-ending love, to recognize that it is through our love towards one another that we demonstrate our trust in you, our willingness to submit to your command. We seek to live out the example of your Son, to embody unselfish concern for one another. Help us to be known by our love, by our desire to live in a way which exemplifies the teachings of Jesus. We evangelize the good news of the Gospel when we are known by our love. Give us the strength to love, even in moments of frustration, and to persist when we inevitably miss the mark. Remind us that seeking to be perfect is to strive for completeness, wholeness and maturity in love, not flawlessness. In the name of your loving Son we pray. Amen.
JOURNAL REFLECTION
If love is an action, rather than a feeling, what does this look like in our daily lives? As you think about your daily interactions and decisions, how are you consistently choosing to love like Jesus? How might we bring a theological mindset into our workplace, our home, our neighborhood? How might we be known by love?