Love All, Always.

In class today, we talked about diversity. At the end of class, the professor showed this video...

I do not agree with everything Tony Campolo says or does. In fact, there are many things he says that I do not agree with; however, I do agree with this: Everyone is worth loving. Everyone. Period.

There are times when social work is discouraging because, in social work, as in most other ministries, we sow many seeds, but are often unable to see the harvest of those seeds. We may never know the extent of the impact we make on the lives of certain people.

Tony Campolo may never know how his birthday party affected Agnes. Did it impact her life, long term, in any way, or was it something that provided her with a good story to tell, and a nice memory, but not much more? There is no way of knowing. But one thing is certain: Had he not done anything for her, he undoubtedly would not have made an impact on her at all.

Sometimes we cannot know how much, or how little, will be made of the love we give. But what a shame to let that be our excuse for not giving love at all.

How have we treated the 'Agneses' in our lives? Have we taken the time to truly enter into their lives with hearts of compassion? Or have we side-stepped them by giving them food, money, or clothing, without ever really showing them love? Have we treated them as charity cases; nothing more, nothing less? Or have we ignored them all together?

Truly loving someone takes time. It takes effort. It takes making the conscious choice to love them, even when we could be taking that time and effort to do something else instead. Tony Campolo could have easily left the diner that first night without giving Agnes a second thought. Easily. But he did not. He could have left only after having tossed a twenty dollar bill her way and telling her to go buy herself something nice for her birthday. That would have been easy. But he did not do that either. He reached into her life and made a difference; even if that difference lasted only as long as the cake did.

Tony Campolo put it this way: "We have to do more than just give them bread and clothes. We've got to bring love and joy into their lives."

Mother Teresa put it beautifully when she said, "Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough. Money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go."

Jesus Christ commands us, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18)."

This was the mission of Christ during the time the He walked this earth. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10)." And it is the commission with which He left us (Matthew 28:16-20).

1 Peter 4:8-11 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should sue whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ..."