Love Does No Harm

"⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. ¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:9-18 NIV

Today, the United States will have a new President. Some people in this country are angry and afraid of this new leader and his team. Their anger and fear might even be justified. There is a growing fear that whole groups of people might now be excluded, might now be again oppressed, might now become invisible.

As Christians, our response—our responsibility—isn’t to place patriotism above our faith. Our responsibility is to love those around us, particularly those who are disenfranchised, to those who are afraid, to who are hurting. We need to begin to reach out, not worrying about whether or not we will be persecuted or harmed. We need to begin to care about individuals, not worrying about whether or not those individuals’ ideologies line up with our own political leanings. We need to bless. We need to mourn with those who mourn. We need to live in harmony with everyone, refusing to repay evil for evil. We need to live at peace with everyone.

We need to love our neighbors as ourselves (Romans 13:9). "Love does no harm to a neighbor" (Romans 13:10). We need to not harm, but rather to do good. Don’t you know that Jesus died for each and every person? Don’t you know that God’s heart is yearning for each soul, wanting to give salvation and mercy to each one?

I can tell you, from personal experience, if a person is hurt or angry or afraid, there may be no words that will comfort them. But we can love in ways that don’t harm. We can give a cup of coffee. We can share a meal. We can smile and say thank you. We can be kind and gentle and patient.

This is a day when the Church of America needs to stand up and become who she was meant to be. This is a day when the Body of Christ needs to reach out to each person and love them unconditionally.

 

Love does no harm.

© 2017 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.