Exotic invasives. In biological circles this means plants, animals, insects that come from outside an ecological zone that have no natural enemies and so they multiply at an alarming rate, choking out or destroying the native flora and fauna. Such things as Japanese beetles expanding throughout the Northeast U.S. that eat up fruits, vegetables, flowers, grass, and trees, kudzu vines from
One of Jesus’ most difficult teachings is to love your enemies. It seems so contrary to wisdom or nature to do so. While we may find it possible to love enemies at a distance, loving someone who has just done something mean to us can seem really hard. And why should we try to love them when it might just be easier to avoid them?
One thing I’ve discovered is that if you love someone, it is impossible to fear them at the same time.
“What the world needs now is love, sweet love, that’s the only thing that there’s just too little of….” So goes an old popular song.
The belief that love is a finite commodity has infected the world with a bullying mentality. Wounded hearts beget heart-wounders and so it goes. But what if love was not a finite force but an infinite resource to wash away all the world’s wounding? What if we knew bland indifference could be assuaged by tender attention, blunt rejection by joyful acceptance and blind malice by immense, intentional kindness?
Syria was in the news today as countries pledge billions of dollars in aid to help support the millions of Syrian citizens who have fled their beloved homeland, as war drags on and on. They are streaming out of Syria as refugees to find a life of safety and to meet basic needs for their families in more stable places around the globe. Over one third of Syrian children (3 million) have had their education disrupted during this time.
Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén