A new commandment, I give to you, that you love one another...it is part of a hymn sung during communion every Sunday morning. It is a beautiful hymn and and even more beautiful practice....but not an easy commandment to follow all the time
Why is it that sometimes it seems so very much easier to love one another when the other is someone you don't know, or don't know well? It never fails that the people you know can be the hardest to love. A friend or acquaintance get a promotion or new job...how many times easier is it to feel envy rather than joy? A family member, who knows how to push our buttons, can bring out anger and other feelings so far from love quicker than anyone.
I have struggled with envy, jealousy, anger, pride....they are hard to fight - sometimes more so when people we know are involved. Looking back at recent pictures I have of trips with my family there are some photos where my anger and frustration are evident. Are these really the memories I want to have? Are those the feelings I want to carry with me, associated with those certain people?
Much harder is letting go of those emotions; love should be the easy route...particularly with those we love (i.e. family and friends). Why then is it easier to hang on to all the negative emotions and let the love in? Perhaps it is how we learn to truly forgive - not just for something that happened recently - but forgive all the transgressions against us. And with forgiveness we can no longer hold those things against our loved ones. It is a hard lesson...one I am certain I will continue to struggle with.
No comments:
Post a Comment