The revolution is underway. While the 70’s promoted ‘free love’ as a way of highlighting the sexual revolution, I’m starting a different FREE LOVE revolution. I’m recommending that the RESCUE MISSION and other social services and christian ministries promote FREE LOVE as a way to highlight that we are going to actually live out the teachings of Jesus and LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY.
So why the dramatic announcement of promoting FREE LOVE? Because it’s so shamefully rare for people (regardless of faith) to actually love the poor, addicted, homeless and mentally ill unconditionally. It flies in the face of our sensibilities and challenges our ethic that the homeless should just “get a job” and “pull themselves up by the bootstraps”.
Here’s what I mean by FREE LOVE
1. Believe EVERYbody has value. Do you believe this? What if this person doesn’t contribute to society? What if this person is a “taker”, always using people and things without regard for others? Does this person have value? I believe so.
2. Don’t GIVE UP on people. Most people don’t blink on writing off those who’ve wronged them or short changed them in someway. While I understand a wise and discerning approach with people who aren’t safe, as a society we need to be open to seeing RESTORATION in those who are ready to turn their lives around and to live in a different way.
3 So often we find it easier to love those who look like us or that we can associate with in some way. But sometimes God calls us to love those who are not like us. Those who aren’t clean, aren’t beautiful and who might even smell bad. Love anyway.
Clearly, I’m being slight provocative to awaken you to the fact that we often put a price on our love. Don’t do it, God has loved us freely and without condition and we need to do likewise. Loving freely doesn’t mean you lack healthy boundaries, it means you stop judging the worth of others by what they can do for you and for society.
What do you think? Do you think most Christians, Churches, republicans, democrats, etc. would agree to this kind of FREE LOVE? Do you think you could live to this standard? Give me your feedback.
DC
