I suffer from the absence of discussion.

So many people hold their view, opinion, ideology as their highest priority. Too few want to grow their character, learn something new or connect to the vitality of another person’s experience.

Beware of all labels, but people who are politically right wing or left wing, spiritually fundamentalist or modernist, socially libertarian or authoritarian, define discussion as aggressively demanding agreement with their view and humiliating those who do not acquiesce.

Oh! for more people who do not hide behind personal ideology, but want to search for a better idea, indeed truth, even when it means re-examining their finite world.

I live on the open plain, yet when I encounter people like I am describing above they fill their moat, barricade their gates and fire volley after volley of fiery darts even though I carry the white flag of truce.

Thank you God for Your listening ear, gentle correction, and patience as I search for greater truth and framing my heart to accept people, all people, (even those with a closed mind!).

“We were saved with this hope in mind. If we hope for something we already see, it’s not really hope. Who hopes for what can be seen? But if we hope for what we don’t see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” Romans 8:24-25 (God’s Word Translation©).

Today is Advent 1, and in my tradition “Hope” is the theme of the day.

When the road we walk on is smooth, hope is a distant concept.

When life piles on troubles until we nearly collapse, hope provides air to breathe, both physically and spiritually.

With Jesus we have hope, the anticipation of things working out, not only in this world, but in the forever.

“God wanted his people throughout the world to know the glorious riches of this mystery—which is Christ living in you, giving you the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27 God’s Word Translation©).

Yesterday our nephew-in-law died into the arms of Jesus after more than a year of strenuous combat against cancer. He now lives the hope in the new reality we call heaven. The family and clan have hope in this promise and of the presence of the Comforter, The Spirit. He spent his short life as a Baptist Pastor, but now reaps the rewards which he preached about, and that provides hope for all he met.

Sometimes hope stands as the only thing we have, yet “hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5 New International Version®, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®).

When life looks like nothing more than a formless vacuum, hope sheds that tiny light that promises this is not the end.

May you live in the hope that faith in Jesus gives when nothing else, no one else, can provide what we need to proceed on our way.

“May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 God’s Word Translation©).

“The things that I once considered valuable, I now consider worthless for Christ” (Philippians 3:7 God’s Word Translation©). In my lifetime I have accomplished many things. With that I have also suffered much, almost to death.

Last night at the fire pit this became physically real. The moon rose. The stars twinkled. Mars glowed brightly high in the sky. Unnecessary records ascended to them as smoke.

Another step was taken on the road toward the Celestial City as all that personal history finally became “history”. “Brothers and sisters, I can’t consider myself a winner yet. This is what I do: I don’t look back, I lengthen my stride, and I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God’s heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 God’s Word Translation©).

The achievements, the pain and persecution, can distract a person from the truly vital things that are eternal. Therefore, what I did, or didn’t do, what I have or lack, or what was done to me has become “worthless because I’m much better off knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8 God’s Word Translation©).

Living in the moment is more radical than I had considered. In the moment there is no past to grieve, no future for anxious anticipation. Instead, “Faith knows the power that [Jesus’] coming back to life gives and what it means to share his suffering” (Philippians 3:10 God’s Word Translation©).

Jesus is the Eternal Moment Who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6 God’s Word Translation©). Souls are eternal; not possessions, and the prideful and painful parts of the past.

God is love. So we are told to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Luke 10:27 God’s Word Translation©).

This means we are to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit those who are sick or in jail (Matthew 25:34-36), and to protect the widow and the orphan (James 1:27). Nowhere does it say ignore and slander those trapped in sin. Nowhere is there a condition on who to help. Yet too often church people heap contempt on prostitutes, LGBTQ people, the homeless, anyone who doesn’t agree with our views on religion and politics, and anyone else who “gets in our way”.

No, we hate the sinners more than we hate the sin! Why? Because “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), including us. If we could hate sin we would convict ourselves, and we don’t. We don’t have time. We spend all our time condemning others and playing God instead of loving like God.

Besides, love costs too much. It will cost us our pride, our personal convenience, and even our life. Condemning others seems the easier way, but the cost of that is eternal punishment (Romans 6:23)!

Jesus did not die on the cross so you could decide whom you will love! Or so you can justify your gossip and slander.

This strikes close to home these days. We have grandchildren who have chosen the road of sinfulness paved with loose living, contempt for parents, lying and anger, and more. However, we still love them with all our hearts.

If we saw sinners as our children and grandchildren, dearly loved, we could hate what sin does to people, but we could also pray for them with tears, show the face of love and make opportunities to express the love of God to people trapped in sin. We would sacrifice ourselves to be a light in the world and not flame-throwers.

We are not the only ones experiencing this. What I see in our present circumstances is a powerful way to talk about what will change people’s lives, namely, the love of God which Jesus showed to death (and life) and which now lives through us humbled by our own pain, and our faith that refuses to give up on anyone.

“The Lord isn’t slow to do what he promised, as some people think. Rather, he is patient for your sake. He doesn’t want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act” (2 Peter 3:9 God’s Word Translation©).

I love my wife, and my family, and clan.

When extra pain enters our world an extra weight falls upon me. I care.

Today two things were given to me. The first I know and just needed a reminder, “Casting all your care upon God Who cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7) is a decision and an action.

The second thing is that I love my family, but no matter how deep and wide that love is, it cannot compare to the love which Jesus has for each of those in my love bubble. The love I express falls short, and so in order to love them as much as they deserve, I have to love with God’s love, not my limited human love. It is human arrogance that says I will love and that will help. It simply adds a load, however if I let God’s Spirit love through me, it not only is bigger love, but Jesus is bearing some of the load for love and lightens my own weight and allows me to focus more on The One Who Is Love and less on my caring and, often, inability to cause a positive result with the ones around me.

Human love resides primarily in emotions. If I let God love I can care more deeply, more effectively act for the loved one, and not be drained by emotions that are usually magnified by seeing the pain and not having a ready fix.

At this moment I need this lesson to be carved on my soul. It is the only way to get through.