That's Amore

I was just doing a little reading/editing of a story an inspiring Lindsay wrote and got quite the shove when the following words showed up on the page:

We are one in the spirit,
We are one in the Lord
We are one in the spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity
May one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians
By our love, By our love
And they'll know we are Christians by our love

A song I haven't thought of in years and years, but an idea I've been thinking about almost constantly for the past few weeks and one that has hovered in the back of my mind for much longer.

A couple weeks ago I was staying at a friend's house and had the immense pleasure of meeting his mother. She and I bonded immediately, feeling completely comfortable talking about the most awkward of subjects. When she asked me about my beliefs, I felt utterly at ease telling her about my Christian faith even though I knew it was not something we had in common. While we talked I finally, in a desperate desire to express my deepest beliefs and, in what I believe was God giving me the right words to express my heart, I told her what I have seen and learned from my parents: that love is what really matters. And that truly trying to genuinely love God and love the people around me takes up all of my efforts and leaves little time for worrying about the many questions for which we have no answers.

Jesus, when asked what was the greatest of all of the commandments answered, "The most important one is this: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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."

Whenever I read those verses I dream. If only we would really do it. If we could all unify in love and not bicker about when to baptize or what will happen in heaven or how much to tithe or the million other things that divide the family of Christ from one another. A terrible division. And beyond that family, I imagine (a lot like John Lennon) what it would be like if I could truly learn to love everyone. If I could see the overwhelming, beautiful, priceless value in every person, in spite of my personal feelings. Is it possible to disagree, yet still love? And not just a mild kind of, "oh sure, I love that person cuz God says I gotta" type of love, but the kind that makes you really go the extra mile. The kind that Jesus talks about the Good Samaritan having or when he says that if you see someone without a coat, take yours off and hand it over. (Ouch. I love my coat.)

It seems impossible in my own life, let alone on a global scale. But there are hints and glimpses of the great love we're capable of and the wondrous results; enough that I want to see more. I want to see how much we can do. And for the sake of heaven, I want people to know we are Christians by our love not by our rules or judgements or politics or creepiness. And when I say I'm a Christian, I want to  leave it at that and not need to go any further because does the rest really matter? Do we need to say anything else if we're walking in His steps? I hope not because boy oh boy can I get tongue-tied.