Monday; February 12

          I have been around for a while now and I don’t recall any time when so many social issues have so quickly and steadily come to the forefront of the public consciousness.  Over the last few months we have had to confront bigotry, violence, sexual assault (or inappropriateness) and dishonesty.  The most recent headline topic is an old one that is making a return visit – domestic violence.  Over the last few decades the context for the discussion of family violence has changed, but as we continue to see, violence within the home is not going away any time soon.  In the last few days we have seen where allegations and incidents of domestic violence have cost people their jobs … and some have cost people their lives.  Like many other issues we have made so difficult, the simple answer is something we teach our kindergarteners – don’t touch someone else in a mean way, don’t say things that are designed to make people feel bad and always tell the truth.  How many incidents of domestic violence (or false allegations of domestic violence) could have been averted if we just did what we teach our children to do?
          I understand the challenges of domestic violence, but I am also aware that there is a way that we can stem the tide – and it is really pretty simple.  The answer is to love one another.  No, I am not necessarily referring to staying in romantic love (which sure helps); I am advocating biblical love; a love that is defined in this way, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”. (I Corinthians 13:4-7)  Yes, it is good to have laws and advocates to protect our intimate relationships, but if we want to truly be successful as individuals and as a society, let’s go back to the basics of love. 
          Think About It!

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