Love God and Love People

Words matter, opinions matter, but we matter so much more. 

These last two  months have been rough for many of us. Politics and prejudice  have divided us in ways I would have never believed. It’s as if the ocean of humanity is stuck in low tide.  We’ve spent so much time stewing in our own corner and now our water is foul.  Our little ponds have become isolated and damned up: the water has turned rancid.   

 I can see a way to change our shared predicament.  My idea is hard when your feelings have hurt.   It’s hard when your ego has been devastated by someone you care about.  It’s hard when you see how passionately others cleave to their opinions and physically, emotionally, and  spiritually  harm you or people you love. It’s just hard.  My response: be kind. 

This isn’t a new idea, but it offers us the freshwater we all

need.   Every act of kindness brings with it a small ripple. And we need the ripples.  Every ripple influences the tide. 

Every single act of kindness offers the tide of  acceptance we all crave. And what we need more of today is the mighty power of kindness.  

The tide of change is coming and it is time for us create a wave. 

Let’s put our opinions about others back into our pockets  and focus on the amazing miracle each of us are.  The ripples we make need to be positive as there is a true deluge of ugly negativity all around.  If we don’t create positive ripples, then there will continue to be negative waves.  

Most people that spew negativity are hurting or have been hurt.  Or, they are driven to share their opinions so that they can feel justified and right. We don’t have to swim in every pool.  

I’m going to focus on spreading kindness and throwing out any negative thoughts that float through by brain.  Here are my three goals for every day of February: 

1. Give three random compliments.  This is one easy way to add more positive light into the world. Ripples. 

2. Focus on listening.  Truly listening to those around us.  If words matter shouldn’t we practice listening? Offering one person our attention with a positive intent is a gift to us all.  Ripples. 

3.  Concentrate prayers/kind thoughts/meditation on people who have hurt me, or even disagree with.   This may just mean sending positive light out to those who are spewing darkness. Ripples. 

Practicing kindness is one way to recognize the amazingly complicated and wondrous people are. In God’s eyes, we are magnificent- even when we are cantankerous.  Even when we are afraid. We are loved even when we are mean, because there is no “even though”.  We are all loved-perioT.    Our attitudes matter, but we matter more.  

Be kind and love people.  

We need each other. And it’s time to be kind. 

Attached is one of my new favorite songs.   It’s just this simple.

“Love God Love People” by Danny Gokey