Friends

 

Psalm 24:1 (NRSV) 

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,

the world, and those who live in it. 

When I checked Facebook this morning I noticed a comment (from a person I know in real life) on one of my sheltering in place posts that she is sorry that I am suffering from media induced fear of a not very dangerous flu.  Elsewhere I noticed she had made some anti-God-of-the-Bible posts and some blatantly racist posts. 

Periodically in the past I have chosen to take a break from this friend on Facebook and “ignore” her posts for a month or so.  I am well aware that some of my other friends routinely cut themselves off from people with whom they disagree so profoundly.  I simply choose not to engage her on those topics.  She is well aware of my position on these and other topics, and accepts that we do not agree.  If she were to attack someone else commenting on one of my posts I would un-friend her in a heartbeat, but not for simply stating her own opinion.  Not for simply disagreeing.  

You see, she and I have a number of things in common, and one of the most important of those things is this - we both believe that we don’t have to like everyone or agree with everyone, but we do have to accept others as they are.  We do have to love everyone.

This verse from Psalm 24 reminds me of that.

We belong to God.  All of us. We may not all behave as if we are God’s, or even believe that God is real, but we all belong to God.  God loves and accepts all of us, and has commanded us to do the same - to love one another.  Not just the people we like and get along with.  Not just the people we agree with. Not just the people who look like we do, or believe what we do, or behave like we do.  Everyone.   

Loving God, thank you for teaching us about love in so very many different ways. May we always remember that it is not just possible but necessary to accept others as they are right now, not as they might be or as we want them to be, but as they are.  Amen.