On Broken Hearts
This world is a rough, tough place. We know there will be pain mixed in with the goodness and joy of our daily lives. We lean on one another to make the uneven places smooth. We encourage one another with words and actions. We laugh together as much as we cry.
But what about when the pain we experience comes from those we love? How do we respond when the people we link arms with day in and day out behave in ways we can’t accept, don’t condone and believe to be wrong? Can we simultaneously throb with pain and still choose to love?
Jesus did. I’m supposed to. Not quite there yet, but I know it’s the right way to live.
This election season broke my heart. The dissension, the arguments, the stretching of imaginations to portray a reprehensible candidate as decent and honorable. How sad that our system came to this. Yet we live in a kingdom bigger and beyond the realm of politics and human leaders.
Rx for me: Going Big and Going Small
Big: I’m choosing to focus on the real battles at hand: In India there is turmoil. Christian orphanages in south India have been “banned.” The baby girl home that rescued fourteen girl babies and has been raising them as their own family was torn apart, the girls sent to a government orphanage and the parents jailed. We’re doing our best to impact this situation for good. And we’re praying.
Small: I’m choosing to love my friends and acquaintances who hold political opinions totally opposite of mine. That mostly involves keeping my thoughts to myself. If you know me, you’ll understand how hard that is.
Choosing love is often costly. But it’s right. And I’m trying.
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You are such a gifted writer. The last sentence is so true. We all need to try.
It was definitely a challenging election season ~ and I voted for Hillary, which was not who many of my friends voted for. I, too, had to keep quiet many times . But I sure do appreciate all you’ve said! It’s easy to talk about love and tolerance until we have to give it to those who don’t think like we do, but that’s the most important time to demonstrate what we believe in.