No Separation

Today’s devotional is a postcard that I pulled randomly from my file. It has a simple poem printed on one side and a place for a personal message and address on the other side. It was meant to be framed, not mailed, I presume as it came from a company called “Be Creative!”

I asked Jesus, “How much do you love me?”
“This much,” He answered, and He stretched out His arms and died.

The other day, my husband asked me if I considered myself a Christian. I said yes and he said please explain. I said that I center my life in Christ, therefore lead a balanced life; that I like to think that I would live my life as Jesus would do; that my actions would reflect what I say. You know, “If you’re gonna talk the talk then you gotta walk the walk,” as the saying goes.

Years ago I read In His Steps by Sheldon Leonard, the classic book written in 1896 about a town that pledged to live their lives as Jesus did which of course changed the course of life for everyone in the town. And it is still changing lives as the book continues to be adapted and published. I was quite young when I read the book but I remember the impact it had on my life for it was the first time that I realized that Jesus and I were one; that is to say, that as I lived so did Jesus. And since I believe that Jesus and God are one, it followed that I realized that God and I are one as well. Of course coming to this realization took years.

The conversation with my husband continued when he asked me if I was offended by a recent cartoon in the newspaper depicting Christians as intolerant. The cartoonist is getting publicity from letters to the editor complaining about his cartoons. I told him no, I am not offended. Two reasons, one being that having met the cartoonist I am able to separate the man from his cartoon. The second reason is that spending time being offended by anything is a waste of time. Would Jesus sit down and type a long letter to the editor to complain about something he read or would he spend that time giving of himself at a homeless shelter, food kitchen, or calling an old friend? It’s all about the choices we make and standing tall and proud after we make our choice.

When my children were little, they argued about lots of things, from who got to sit in the front seat to who was right and who was wrong on any particular subject. At times the arguing would lead to fists flying and I would have to call a truce. My mother suggested an activity that I used many times over the years. She would remind me to tell you that she got it from Ann Landers in a “Dear Abby” column. Find a window or glass door (in my case the sliding door to the patio always worked) and give each child a bottle of window cleaner and a roll of paper towels and make them clean the window facing each other. It did not take long to see the two laughing and making faces and forgetting the anger and subject of their disagreement.

So I can look at the cartoons and see the cartoonist through the glass reflecting back to me and not be offended. I may not agree with his opinion but why should that make me be offended? If I say I love God and I seek to live my life as Jesus would, and did not love my fellow man in kind, then my quest would be in vain. I believe there is no separation between me, my neighbor and God. I am one with all, regardless of appearance or opinion, including my own. And if Jesus could open His arms and love me, then so too must I open my arms to my fellow man and love them for there is no separation.