Love Will Conquer Amendment 1

                 In the circles in which I associate myself with, there is a lot of talk about love, what it means to love, and who is called to love each other. All of this seems to be in light of the recent passing of Amendment 1. Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets have been used in a way to communicate happiness or frustration over the passage of the amendment.

            While I have elected not to weigh in on the amendment itself, it does call into question the reality of our calling to be a people of faith amidst a politically charged world. More importantly, what does it mean to love in a world bent on hatred of the other political party or ideology.

            The important thing to remember as a person of faith who is involved in a political world is to never legislate our faith-charged beliefs upon others. Just because our train of thought might be the majority or the minority, we should never try to create rules and regulations that create an air of hatred, intolerance or an unwillingness to work side by side with each other.

            Even more imperative for us is to remember that we are all called to be a people of love. 1 John gives the perfect example of this, “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.”

            This week as you hear arguments for/against the amendment, as to why it was the best or worse thing that happened to North Carolina, remember that God calls us to love. We are to love beyond measure, with a grace-filled love. Next time you need encouragement because the politics of the day didn’t go the way you wanted to, turn to 1 John 4 and remember that we are called to love, love and then love some more. We are called to love beyond politics, and in that we can say, “Thanks be to God.”