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Challenges and projects.  Judgement and prophecy.  Instagram and streaming.

A quick sweep of the posts I follow offers a diverse range of responses from our global community.  If there was ever reason to doubt that we are all one big family – now is the time to put that to rest.

Another is introverts and extroverts.  Neither seem equipped for enforced isolation.  Purpose seems to be the common factor – when we have purpose in our lives then we can choose which we are: outgoing or ingoing.  But take away purpose and we all seem to struggle.

And then busyness.  We still seem to mistake busyness with purpose.  All that domestic “project” stuff right now.  All those “jobs” we had but never got around to.  Now being eked out in case we run out of everything to do – teased out and savoured – appreciated and mentioned.

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And then the lifestyle sharing.  Now all by selfies of one sort or another.  Now always my best side on display.  Not yet comfortable sharing my grumpiness and ill-will through the lens of a smartphone.  Or the “let’s all be happy” champions.  The pictures of cats and other cute cuties doing cute things.  An anecdote to the concern and anxiety of what is rumbling under our feet.

And our continued fear of death.  Of talking about death – now called passed or passing like a stranger in the night.  And of blame.  Still all that blame to share around.  Who was right and who was wrong.  What should have done this and who that.  Why is this not happening because that is over there.  Why are these not being looked after as those are right beside me.  We are a restless and ceaselessly bored family.

And then the “told you so’s”.  The verse-pickers and verse-sticklers.  The righteous who claim not to be.  Who claim truth and God right now.  A God who is allowing this pandemic to “pass” thousands of innocents because the bible says.  A God who prunes His Chosen People because He told us He would if we didn’t listen to the verse-pickers and verse-sticklers.  A God who is the judge, jury and executioner the verse-pickers and verse-sticklers have found in the bible and regard it their duty and burden to protect and keep safe from those who see a God less interested in right. Who see it their duty to dismiss a God who is Love who weeps at distress who laughs at silliness and who loves without the need to be right.
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Because I see a pandemic of Love without the need to be right.  A pandemic of being allowed to be kind to each other.  A pandemic of allowing each other to be.  Social distancing doesn’t care what religion I endorse.  Doesn’t care what God I protect.  Doesn’t reward me for knowing the right verses.  Yet with six feet between us we wait – we acknowledge – we say thank you – we allow kindness.  And we yearn to touch to hug to gather to share to be together with those we love more and more and more.

I see one God.  A God who is Love.  And I see Love reflected back in this global family.  A pale reflection in some, a harsh reflection in others, a gentle embracing love in most.  But most of all Love that is not duty-burden-or-obligation.  Love that is not expected because I believe this or that.  Just Love. 

Because Love is and we are.

Why must we complicate God when God is so easy?  Why must we complicate Love when Love is so easy?  Why must we find verses that make me right and you wrong?  Why must we find a God that makes my God right and your God wrong?

Why must we always find reasons to not be family?

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