Hate

I don't get America. 

A black man is killed and riots pursue. People around the country band together to protest and chant #blacklivesmatter. But, when mom is accidentally shot by her two-year-old son, she deserved to die. I don't understand. 

I believe in love. 

I believe in Jesus. 

I believe in His simple, yet profoundly powerful statement about all we need to do is love Him and love each other. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV). There is nothing greater. Nothing better. Nothing more rewarding. Jesus simply stated the greatest commandments and those were the two of upmost importance. So, where is the the love, America? 

We are all so quick to judge. So quick to hate so quick to respond to violence with violence. 

When you feel your entire race has been wronged? You light fire to buildings. 

When a smoker gets the tragic news of lung cancer, he deserved it. 

When man is killed for taking another life, he got what he deserved.  

All people deserve life. No one deserves to die. We weren't taught that people deserve death and life in hell. We were taught to live a good life. A life filled with loving your neighbor as yourself and not passing judgement. Do I believe in punishment, yes. But, I don't believe that it's our job as these peoples' "neighbors" to cast out our own judgement and our own punishments when most times, we don't even know the entire story. 

I don't understand the quick to judge and quick to think we know what someone else deserves especially when it comes to taking someone's life. It's not our job. 

Jesus loves the policeman, the murderer, the priest, the nurse. He loves the pastor, the baby, the runner and the rapist. Jesus adores the felon, the bereaved, the terrorist, and the firefighter. He loves the mother, the doctor, the pilot, and the abuser. He loves the drug addict, the garbage man, the alcoholic, and the grandparent. Jesus loves all. As should we because #alllivesmatter. 

It's simple. 

Love Jesus. Love each other.