If We Love…

If We Love…

Why is there so much hatred
Just because skin tones vary
And faith reigns in the multiplicity
Of cultural, ethnic, and social beliefs?

Why can’t parents raise children
With respect and discipline, knowing
How to receive love and love in return?

Why is it that parents who claim to love,
Abuse and misuse the children they brought into this world?
How can they not see the damage and lifelong misery
They cause with their neglectful, hateful ways?

Why do we need guns to settle differences
When all we need is communication—listening and hearing,
To one another, accepting differing perceptions of life, wrong and right,
Rather than creating a mockery of justice by taking lives?

Why do we need to self-medicate on drugs of choice,
Instead of seeking assistance, allowing pain to be our voice
In the deserts of waste and want and desire to arise,
Above current situations, seeing what we could be in a different light.

Why do we allow corrupt politicians to legislate
Laws that do nothing to help forward movement, but
Do everything to hinder justice for all, igniting even more
Hatred—fueling frustrations, igniting detonators lying deep within
The hearts of those who refuse to bend to the Will of God?
If we love as God loves—why can’t we do as God does—
Love unconditionally without thought to race, religion or doubt,
Just ready to love and forgive the slights shown to us, by those
Who don’t know Him, but we do— and should not act as those who don’t.

If we love our parents, why can’t we care for them in their hour of need,
Just as they took care of us, until we could care for ourselves,
Or do we just look inwardly and think only of self, not caring for others,
Despising and distancing ourselves from fathers and mothers,
Who even if they were wrong—the parent-child relationship should remain strong.

If we love our neighbors as ourselves,
Why can’t we see their hurt and need and allow compassion
And kindness to reign in our hearts as we tend to their comfort,
Knowing, what we do for others will be done unto us.

If we love, why can’t we sit down and talk about differences
And those needs we have in common—shelter, clothing and food,
Joy, peace, happiness, more love and all things good,
That guarantee the continual perpetuation of humanity,
Without the continual perpetration of abuse and misuse?

If we love, why can’t we love ourselves enough to see,
Where we need to grow up and mature, behaving responsibly?
Looking deep inside, outside and all around us—noting changes
That require movement on our part to sustain us and those
We say we love.

If we love…

© 2015 Mary M. Hall-Rayford

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From Death To Life!

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his, For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as instrument of righteousness. Romans 6:5-7; 11-13, (NIV)

Understanding what sin does is the first thing we must all recognize if we want to see a change in our society–moving from the certainty of death with no hope of an eternity with Christ, to living a life of righteousness, assuring our place in heaven.

Sin–the desire to do evil or live in opposition to God’s Word–creeps into the minds of the weak and sets up housekeeping–covering the will to do good with a cloak of darkness, blinding eyes to goodness, and stamping out love and kindness and compassion in the hearts of those who have allowed sin to flow through their veins–with the lifeblood of being human, succumbing to being subhuman and evil reigns.

We can understand sin reigning in the lives of those who have never acknowledged Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They would not understand the sacrifice He made for us and know that we, too–have a sacrifice to make–totally submitting our hearts to Him. But for those who have proclaimed knowledge of Him and understanding of how He wants us to live–and yet–willfully do those things that are in direct opposition to His ways,–they prove they never crucified their bodies to sin.

And these same people–who never died to sin–now support sin as a way of life: gun violence, domestic violence, child abuse, spousal abuse, elder abuse, sexual sin, lying, stealing–all being perpetuated by those who claim to know Christ. How do we know they support sin? Those elected to make laws to protect all have denied that certain acts are sin and are legislating and promoting sin–not paying attention to the effect of their actions on society.

People–seduced by the evil of using drugs, not understanding how drugs affect the brain and how we think–commit crimes and don’t even understand why or how. We say much of the crime is committed by those who are mentally ill, but is that true? Is part of the mental illness a refusal to acknowledge their sinful state and get help? Or is it the denial of treatment opportunities by government that exacerbates the problem?

There is a problem in our society that is rapidly destroying the hopes of many because of sin and if we are to change that direction–we must change how we think and act when we elect politicians to office. We must live exemplary lives in front of those who don’t know Jesus, so they will come to know Him, by seeing Him in us.

We must crucify the flesh and the desire to do evil and move from death to life with Christ Jesus, united with Him, so we will have eternal life with Him, on the other side of this journey.

A remnant–determined to see change–can make a difference in the lives of many.