 The command to love your neighbor is constant in the Holy Scriptures. We humans, however, are a contentious lot and we’re pretty sure we don’t want to love everyone. I mean, there are certain people that just don’t deserve our love, right? This propensity to restrict the definition of a neighbor leads us to dehumanize anyone we’re sure we shouldn’t love. There is perhaps no better example of this kind of moral gymnastics than in a story from Luke’s gospel:
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 Over the last month we’ve received a steady stream of prayer requests related to the changes wrought by the new administration in Washington. Uncertainty, fear, and a sense of chaos seem pervasive for a lot of people. The prayer requests call for reason, reconciliation, and some way to find hope when the future seems so bleak.
 Joyful individuals aren't always the ones cracking jokes or wearing a perpetual smile. Their joy transcends mere optimism; it's rooted in a profound understanding of life's complexities. They confront the harsh realities of human existence with eyes wide open, acknowledging the presence of evil forces that seek to harm; “looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Yet, crucially, joyful people refuse to be imprisoned by despair.
 This past Tuesday the appointed psalm for the morning was Psalm 12. As we gathered as staff to pray, I read these words:
Help, O LORD, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; the faithful have disappeared from humankind. They utter lies to each other; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. (Psalm 12:1-2) |
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