Thursday, September 08, 2005

Hurricane Kat - No Greater Love


Yes, I am still actively watching the developements of the victims of FEMA...oops! I mean Hurrincane Katrina. I watch not because I like to see the suffering but I am so touched by all the love expressed to these people by others. Strangers - black, white, green, purple - the color doesn't matter, they are lending a helping hand. Homes' doors have been open to strangers. I saw where one man came to Houston saying he was going to get jobs for people at his car dealerships. One family has taken in 20+ people. Even the celebs are stepping up, not with just money but with their time. Needless to say, I turn into a bigger cream puff with each touching story (but don't tell anybody, they may think I'm soft)...

All this makes me think about the WORD of course. I think the way we are acting towards each other now, is how we are suppose to act all the time. After 911, Americans grew closer to each other and called on God's name. It lasted for about 5 minutes...Then we were back to being selfish, loveless, and caught up in our own worlds...but the bible warned us about this type of behavior...

2 Timothy 3: 1 - 5 - 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

WHOA! Does that sound like the world we live in or what? But guess what, I guess God must see something in us that we don't see in ourselves. I guess because He made us and His spirit is in us whether you believe in Him or not. You see, God is Love and since we were made in his image, then we must be love too. Basically, we are all made to love but because of sin, we make choices not to love. We think we have it all figured out but our Creator knew from the beginning and he knows what's in us. It is just we get stubborn so it takes a tragedy for to reveal what we are really made of.

If you ask me (I mean you didn't but that's besides the point), it takes more than just "doing my job" to be able to spend days without food and water in awful, dangerous conditions trying to save the lives of people you don't know, at the risk of dying yourself. I have seen people quit jobs for less stress than that. What makes a person open their home to 10 to 20 people some of which are strangers? What makes a man sleep in a hospital without food, water, lights with stranded dogs because he made a promise to the families to take care of their pets? It takes more than just guts for 3 college students to drive from NC to the Gulf Coast and risk being arrested for faking Media ID passes to get past the National Guards in order that they might rescue some stranded flood victims. What makes your heart ache for complete strangers who are suffering?

It is not a mystery and these aren't trick questions. It is because of love. And with the world being so messed up, we might forget we even know how to or want to show love to our fellow man. But God knows what is in us and that is what He asks of us. Now that we know we can do it, let's just do it and put aside the other foolishness.

John 15: 12 - 13 says: 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

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