OUR CHOICES ABOUT HOW TO ACT AND SPEAK ARE GROUNDED IN FEAR OR LOVE?

The last few weeks I've been thinking a lot about the wave of fear I see gripping the US. When people are afraid they don't listen very well except to their own righteous thoughts.  I've realized we need to talk more by asking questions and  "Listen[ing] with the ears of those who speak."  But we first must prepare by asking more questions of ourselves.  Each of us needs to know ourself, because as Socrates said, "To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom."

Some questions to consider: 

• What are you afraid of that justifies your speaking and acting on your darkest words? 
• Why are you afraid to say Black Lives Matter?  Brown Lives Matter? Asian Lives Matter?
  • Why does using those words threaten you? 
  • Why are you frightened by everyone being treated equally?
  • Why can you deny what is before your eyes?
• Why are you afraid to wear a face mask? 
  • How does that threaten you?
  • What are you losing by not wearing a mask? 
  • What are you gaining?  
• What makes you so afraid you take assault weapons to a protest that already scares you?
• One for me to you---How can you use your Bible to spew hate? 
  • What happened to judge not? "Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye." ---Matthew 7:5
  • What happened to Love others?  Jesus gave a new commandment : "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples," John 13:34-35.

Let's keep working on BEING LOVE:   ASK YOURSELF,  WHAT WOULD LOVE DO NOW?