Remaining

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There's no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. This is my command: Love each other. - John 15:9-14, 17 (NLT)

Remaining

Jesus makes it sound so simple and so easy. All we have to do is love one another.  Why then does it seem so hard sometimes? What does love look like? Am I supposed to love someone when they're harsh and unforgiving? Do I have to love someone who spreads gossip and rumor about me or the people I care about?

The author of something I read recently (I can't remember who or where) reminded me of the amazing display of forgiveness and love shown by the Amish community that had their children taken from them by a disturbed gunman.  Since I couldn't find that article, I looked the incident up online and found a write up on Wikipedia. The following humbles me and makes it abundantly clear what Jesus meant:

Amish community response

On the day of the shooting, a grandfather of one of the murdered Amish girls was heard warning some young relatives not to hate the killer, saying, "We must not think evil of this man."^{[17][dead link]}Another Amish father noted, "He had a mother and a wife and a soul and now he's standing before a just God."^[18]

Jack Meyer, a member of the Brethren community living near the Amish in Lancaster County, explained: "I don't think there's anybody here that wants to do anything but forgive and not only reach out to those who have suffered a loss in that way but to reach out to the family of the man who committed these acts."^{[17][dead link]}

A Roberts family spokesman said an Amish neighbor comforted the Roberts family hours after the shooting and extended forgiveness to them.^[19] Amish community members visited and comforted Roberts' widow, parents, and parents-in-law. One Amish man held Roberts' sobbing father in his arms, reportedly for as long as an hour, to comfort him.^[20] The Amish have also set up a charitable fund for the family of the shooter.^[21] About 30 members of the Amish community attended Roberts' funeral,^[20] and Marie Roberts, the widow of the killer, was one of the few outsiders invited to the funeral of one of the victims.^[22] Marie Roberts wrote an open letter to her Amish neighbors thanking them for their forgiveness, grace, and mercy. She wrote, "Your love for our family has helped to provide the healing we so desperately need. Gifts you've given have touched our hearts in a way no words can describe. Your compassion has reached beyond our family, beyond our community, and is changing our world, and for this we sincerely thank you."^[22]

The Amish do not normally accept charity, but due to the extreme nature of the tragedy, donations were accepted. Richie Lauer, director of the Anabaptist Foundation, said the Amish community, whose religious beliefs prohibit them from having health insurance, will likely use the donations to help pay the medical costs of the hospitalized children.^[23]

Some commentators criticized the swift and complete forgiveness with which the Amish responded, arguing that forgiveness is inappropriate when no remorse has been expressed, and that such an attitude runs the risk of denying the existence of evil;^[24][25][26] others were supportive.^[27][28] Donald Kraybill and two other scholars of Amish life noted that "letting go of grudges" is a deeply rooted value in Amish culture, which remembers forgiving martyrs including Dirk Willems and Jesus himself. They explained that the Amish willingness to forgo vengeance does not undo the tragedy or pardon the wrong, but rather constitutes a first step toward a future that is more hopeful.^[29][30

They are truly remaining in Christ and He is with them. Jesus didn't say, "Wait until the the other person loves you or expresses remorse before forgiving them and loving them."  No, it was very basic...and yet complex beyond belief.  "Love each other."

• Love that person who cuts you off on the freeway
• Love your neighbor who plays loud music until the wee hours of the morning
• Love your children who leave their dishes wherever they are done with them and their rooms in shambles
• Love those people who don't love you enough to stay and work it out
• Love, especially, those who are apparently incapable of loving you in return

The list could go on and on. There are so many opportunities to love out there.  I've listed several difficult areas, but there are just as many easy opportunities to love. It just takes that little bit of extra effort.

• When you think of someone, pray for them, right then and there
• Notice when someone needs a clear view when they're turning left at a cross roads and do your best not to block their line of sight
• Bite your tongue when you have every right to point out someone's transgression against you and say something encouraging instead
• Go visit a shut-in or ailing congregation member - even if you don't know them very well

I'm just throwing ideas out there. They are minor...and yet major...because when you're practicing them, you are remaining in Jesus...and He is in you.  That's major! That's where I need to be.

Without a doubt, that Amish community had to have been majoring in the minors long before they were confronted with the tragedy that provided them the ultimate opportunity to show their love through Jesus to the Roberts family.  It's the daily following that strengthens us and binds us to Jesus and His love.

Dear Jesus - You loved me long before I even realized your love was something I wanted or needed. I am still learning, every day, just exactly how deep and amazing that love is. Please help me grow in your love by following your commandment to love others as I love myself. Please guide me and open my eyes to the opportunities that are always there for me to share my love.  Yes, open the eyes of my heart and let your love pour through me! I love you and want to remain in you always. Amen.

Blessings and peace,

Leah