Life is full of hurts, disappointments, sadness and pain. It is part of living in a world where we are hurt by the choices made by others or hurt by our own choices.
Last week, on a retreat, I was sitting across the table from a colleague who said that, because I was a woman I had no authority to teach and preach! Wait a minute, this person just tried to nullify my felt and acknowledged calling by God and my obvious ministry which included preaching and teaching.
How do we react to assertions that we are not valued, accepted and respected for who we are? How do we respond with love towards them?
You might ask how can I have love towards a person who hurt me? I’m no saint! I still get angry and upset and don’t respond in a caring way, but I am trying to practice what Jesus did in his response to the people he encountered.
Jesus stopped and brought life giving healing, forgiveness, resurrection, deliverance, restoration and love to those he met while he lived on earth. He called Zacchaeus out of a tree, he healed the blind man, he raised Lazarus from the dead, he delivered the woman who had been bent over for 18 years, he restored the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years back to her community.
Jesus loves us and calls us to act with love and compassion towards others. Is that hard? Absolutely! Jesus has given us the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to help us.
Blessings, Rev Joy