FRIDAY MAY 28, 2021 LOVE WINS

 FRIDAY MAY 28, 2021 LOVE WINS

On Fridays, I apply the concept of LOVE WINS.  Sometimes it is in a Judeo-Christian example, sometimes a story.  I am building upon a few scriptures: The first and greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength.  And the second is like “Love your neighbor as yourself”.  Love one another.  Love covers a multitude of sins.  You can only love God as much as the person I love the least. (So, trying to have no hate or judgment in my life).

Today, a little irony, the story of Rahab and others.

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In Judeo-Christian history, God promised the land of Canaan to the Israelites - the descendants of Israel (or Jacob).  But they had to fight to win that territory.  [Aside, and that is one of the causes of middle-east grief even today!!!]

The first battle was to conquer Jericho on the west side of the Jordan River.  Joshua (the leader who succeeded Moses) sent a few spies to check out Jericho.  

“Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab and lodged there. It was told to the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 

But Rahab lied to the police who came to her house and said the spies were not there.  (She had hidden them on her roof under bundles of flax.)

Later she lowered the two spies out her window (which was on an outside wall of the fortified city).  

So, Rahab - a harlot, a prostitute, a woman who slept with me for money.  God chose this person to rescue His “Chosen People”!!  Really? 

Eventually, Rahab married Salmon and they had a son, Boaz.  Boaz married a non-Jewish lady named Ruth (see the book of Ruth in the Old Testament), 

Boaz and Ruth had a son Obed

Obed and his wife had a son that they named Jesse

And, Jesse and his wife(s) had several sons, the youngest was a lad named David- who killed Goliath, and eventually became the King of Israel.  David is probably one of the most popular political leaders of the Old Testament.

But, even this wonderful David strayed and had sex with Bathsheeba - which gives them a son, named Solomon.

And, eventually, in the lineage of King David, comes Mary, and also in a different lineage of King David comes to Joseph - and to them (as a couple) Jesus is born.

So, let’s see.  Rahab is not Jewish and is a liar and a prostitute.  Ruth is not Jewish - but opts to stay and marry a Jewish man. David is Jewish, but he lusts after another woman even though he was married.  So, he is an adulterer. And, then several generations later we get Jesus - who is called the perfect lamb of God.   

We might say that David had a “checkered past”. But seemingly in God’s eyes, this was a natural progression.

Some of us might also have ‘checkered pasts”.  Maybe your great grandfather was a horse thief, maybe your great, great, great grandmother was a slave, maybe your grandparents weren’t married when your mother was conceived and born.  Does that matter?

My bias is that yes it matters, and no, it doesn’t matter.  

A friend describes it this way.  Behind a museum, a painting has been thrown out.  As cars drive in that alley, they flash mud onto the picture. It’s garbage. Thrown out - trash.

Bur in the hands of a master, the painting is restored.  The mud that was strewn on the painting is removed, and underneath is a very valuable Van Gogh, or Rembrandt, or the work of another painter.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “ For we are God’s masterpiece.”

WHO WE ARE makes the difference.  The past is past, the future is unknown, all we have is today.  We are living today  - and even with a history of liars, prostitutes, sinners - we exist; (or through good Godly people).  

There is an expression, God has no grandchildren, only children.  It doesn’t matter what our heritage is.  (Tongue in cheek:  If I really wanted to know my heritage, I should run for President, somebody will dig up some dirt on me!!!)

LOVE WINS - but not yet on a global scale (my opinion), but in individuals.  DO I LOVE OTHERS?  

My grandparents were great, loving, humble people; my parents were great, loving, humble people; but I am “myself”.  

I am to be a lover, a healer, a friend, a person that people can trust.  And, like Rahab, I can do so, or I can “tell the truth” and let the spies be killed.

So, every day we get to choose to let LOVE WIN - or to let HATE WIN.  

HUGS!!!

Karen