LOVED & LOVING
I believe in God.
I believe in Jesus Christ, the son of God, the LORD of creation and redemption, the Savior of the World. God and Jesus are of the same substance, and function as one with their spirit, THREE IN ONE: Father. Son. Spirit.
I affirm all of these Christian beliefs;
I believe that many people disagree with me.
But there’s one thing I haven’t mentioned directly:
Love
I believe in Love.
I believe that it is the central message of the Gospel.
Even salvation itself is the subject and result of Love.
Even life itself is a gift and a picture of Love.
Love is the root of endearment, belief, hope, and endurance;
I believe that many people agree with me.
About a month ago, I set out to begin something. I called it “Campaign for Brokenness.” It came through a series of specific experiences that I will share if anyone cares to know, but the point is that I see a need. All people are broken, all people need Love, and NOT all people give and accept Love as much as we could. Before I did anything else, I pointed myself in a specific direction: LEARN TO LOVE. I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn in regards to showing Love, but its at this point that I feel a need to invite others to join me in this quest. Or maybe you’re on the quest already, in which case I say: “BUDDY SYSTEM!!!”
So the next step in this “Campaign” is embracing people at large, and bringing people to embrace people at large. I mean LOVING PEOPLE.
I have found that the most difficult part of Loving, both on this campus on elsewhere, is that people seem closed off to it. Our society is individualistic, and we are individuals. Instead of choosing to be together, we walk with our heads down, unwilling to accept or extend a simple “Hello” or “How are you?”
Though this is my perception, I hope it isn’t a concrete reality. I think we close ourselves off from Love, but I still think we want Love and I still think we want to show Love. We put down our heads because we feel the same sort of closed off attitude resonating from those around us. It’s hard.
So I began to think, “If people wore SIGNS that said “I’m open to be Loved” then I would feel comfortable extending a hello or a how are you. I would feel comfortable talking to strangers as if, somehow, we were bound together by some greater innate force.”
So, that’s exactly what I propose. The second step of the campaign is to grow, as a community, in order to show and accept Love. So let’s wear signs. I ordered a few thousand silicone wrist bands (like the yellow Live Strong bands)that bear the words:
“LOVED & LOVING.”
This means that YOU are LOVED by everyone who wears this band. In the same sense, it means you are responsible for LOVING ALL who wear the band. This band is a welcome sign. It welcomes and warrants a “Hello” and a “How are you?” It welcomes and warrants a genuine response to these questions. It welcomes and warrants Love, however small or “insignificant.” All Love is significant. It reminds you to show Love, and it reminds others to show you Love. Further, I hope that it inspires you to Love outside the campus as well, though Loving within it is my primary concern right now (if we cannot Love each other, how can we Love the world? Start small (APU), but progress (The World)).
My hope is to spread the message of Jesus Christ. I believe that in showing Love, we fulfill a part of Christianity that has in many cases been forgotten. I believe Christ is Love; I believe God is Love; I believe Love will further God’s Kingdom, as I believe Love brought God’s Kingdom, of which we ALL can be citizens. You may think Love comes from people, or from the earth, or from a God that is no longer living. Yeah, You may not agree with me- and you don't have to- but again, I hope that this universal purpose of Love can unite both Christians and Non-Christians under a very specific and in-discriminatory purpose. The fact remains: Love exists. Love is powerful. The world needs more of it, and we can Love. So I propose agreement on one thing, and on one thing only: LOVE.
The goal isn’t to create a new fad, it’s to bring about a lifestyle.
