(Written as we approached the 2019 Special Session)
“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”
The book, Anatomy of Peace, has been suggested for delegates preparing for the Special Session. It is instructive in terms of what we must decide as a denomination but also for how we are to be in relationship with people in our lives.
The book is based on the premise that we are called to be at peace with one another and to treat others with love. Yet, we sometimes betray that call, and in so doing, betray our best selves. We justify our self-betrayal by making an enemy of the person whom we should have treated with love. As the authors note:
“When I choose to act contrary to my own sense of what is appropriate…I commit…an act of self-betrayal…A choice to betray myself is a choice to go to war.”[1]
“A heart at war needs enemies to justify its warring. It needs enemies and mistreatment more than it wants peace.”[2]
There are many biblical stories that illustrate this point. The one that most comes to mind is the story of Cain and Able. Cain’s heart was not at peace, and he betrayed the best sense of himself by being jealous of Abel rather than loving him. So, Cain declared his own brother the enemy and went to war. He then justified the mistreatment and murder of Abel, by suggesting that he had no responsibility for the love and care of his brother.
“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’
He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’
And the Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.’” Genesis 4: 9-10
None of us would contemplate murder of a sibling. But our hearts are sometimes at war with our own brothers and sisters. Indeed, if we are all children of God, we are warring with brothers and sisters any time we choose war with another person over peace.
That happens when we “horribilize” the other, failing to see the other person as a fellow child of God with gifts and failings just like our own. The cycle continues when we justify our warring hearts by making the other the enemy rather than a sister or brother in need of care.
The only anecdote that I know to this cycle of war is love.
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” Mark 12:31
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another,” John 13:35
Jesus reminded us over and again that love was the fulfillment of the Law. For Jesus, love was the main thing. It still is; especially in the midst of the complex challenges that we face today. Global migration is just such a challenge. And not all responses to this challenge are marked by love.
Indeed, our hearts break at the sight of children being separated from their parents at the U.S. border. Our hearts break for these children who will likely be forever traumatized by this experience. Our hearts break for the parents who are enduring a nightmare that we all fear. Our hearts break for these families and for immigrant families everywhere. Yet, because we are United Methodists and have heard God’s commandment, our hearts break open with love.
United Methodists around the world are hearing God’s call to live and act from the best and most authentic parts of ourselves by loving our immigrant neighbors as ourselves. United Methodists are expressing that love by welcoming and caring for immigrant families, advocating for children, and working to end the practice of family separations.
We are working to transform the world by living out a discipleship of love. It is who we are as United Methodists and as Christians. Indeed, as the Apostle Paul reminds us, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law,” Romans 13:10.
This week, please commit to praying with me for immigrant families. And please pray for the many United Methodist ministries that serve these families. And in addition to prayer, reach out with concrete acts of love.
Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai
June 20, 2018
[1] The Anatomy of Peace, the Arbinger Institute, p. 93
[2] Ibid., p. 107
Originally published at umc.org. The version above has been updated.