Thought for Monday 25 May

Thought for Monday 24 May   From Jenny Rankin, Wrangholm Matthew 22: 37-39   Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”   This passage shows it’s not enough that we love God with heart and soul and mind. We need to love other people as we love ourselves. I think this command is not only about loving each other as followers of Jesus. It’s about loving those who don’t know Jesus, those who don’t love themselves. It’s about those who don’t even know what love is. A lot of people these days are brought up in homes where parents don’t know how to show love even if they do feel it, so children grow up not knowing how it feels to be loved. I know of families to whom hugging and kissing are unknown, it has never been the  norm for them. In a lot of families in fact abuse is the ‘norm’. Those of us who know God and His great love should be able to share that love with those who think that they are so unlovable that even God cannot love them. They don’t know Him. God gives us more than enough love to go around and the more we give the more we receive. That child who causes trouble in school may be feeling that being ‘told off’ is better than being ignored when actually a little bit of love and compassion toward the child may bring about a different outcome in the end. The workmate who is always moaning might just be waiting for somebody to acknowledge them as a worthy fellow human being. When I was younger (much) I was quite shy. Yes I was! In new situations I stood back until someone spoke to me because I thought I was intruding. Later I found out that because of this people thought I was a snob, while I was feeling unwanted. It took for someone to speak to me as a friend, for me to feel welcome. I don’t have this problem now because I know that I am loved. For those who don’t know love, we are charged with delivering this gift to them. Lord God We know we are loved by you, give us the inclination to share this love with everyone we come in contact with. All people are entitled to know your love, let us be among those who share it freely. Amen.