The window of my childhood bedroom looked out on a huge oak tree. Lush and green each summer, it morphed to bare and stark by late fall. As I drifted off to sleep each night, the tree’s shadows dancing on my wall were a delightful and comforting presence. Then came the evening, when I was a bit older, that my parents left me home alone for a few hours. That friendly guardian outside my window became a monster trying to get in, each squeak of a branch against the window glass a sure sign of its malevolent intent. Same tree. Same dancing shadows. The difference in my response lay in my knowledge of the presence of love.
Simply being alive brings with it continual encounters with the new, the unfamiliar, the not-yet-experienced (like being left home alone for the first time). So a question might be: where do we find the unconditional love that accompanies us into the unknown? And how does that knowledge of love translate into trusting new experiences, new ideas, new people, anything before which we might momentarily tremble?
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We find love in a variety of places: parents, guardians, friends, teachers, pastors, counselors, a serendipitous conversation with a complete stranger, the beauty, goodness and truth of natural creation, or quiet soul-filled listening to the voice of the divine, God within us and around us. But find it we must. After all, it is love that makes the world go ‘round. And love that conquers fear.
Do you remember what it felt like to change schools, to move to a new city, to live in another country, to risk leaving a comfortable job for a more challenging one? To make different friends, learn a new language, change a political stance, forge a new spiritual path? Maybe something that required you to discern, decide and act on your own despite the misgivings — perhaps disapproval — of family and friends? A challenge that required knowledge of the presence of love to face?
Sometimes we think we are being critical of those who look different, dress differently, live or speak differently, think differently, worship differently from ourselves when actually what we are experiencing is fear. How can we replace that fear with love?
Is there someone in your school, place of worship or workplace who is struggling to learn English? Offer to help them with a few words, and ask them to teach you some words from their native language. Do not be afraid. Offer love. Do you know someone who seems to take very seriously a religion different from your own? Say to them, “I would like to learn something of your faith practice. I will answer your questions about mine, as well. Can we have coffee?” Do not be afraid. Offer love. Ask someone whom you know is of a different political slant from your own, “Can we talk? Perhaps if we listened to one another — even if we cannot agree with each other — we would not feel so alienated.” Do not be afraid. Offer love.
The TV news, newspaper and the internet proclaim many reasons for fear: mass shootings, drugs, gangs, racial unrest, disease, food and housing insecurity, climate change. Our brothers and sisters around the world are fearfully leaving home and loved ones because of war, violence, rape, poverty, oppression.
We might ask ourselves: What can I do, say, write, contribute, create, build, cooperate with, to not only lessen someone’s fear, but maybe to touch a root cause of that fear? What might I do today to enable someone else in this world to say, “I know I am in the presence of love.”
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18).
Tucson faith leaders, we would like to include your original sermon or scriptures of encouragement. Sermons must be written by the person submitting them, not borrowed from another source or writer. If you are a faith leader from any religion or denomination, please contact Sara Brown at sbbrown@tucson.com.
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