Practising Love

This is the most difficult question of all. How to practise love in a society so full of hatred? I think this is one of the primary issues that strike deep into the heart of a Christian. This is the crux of the matter, isn’t it? The true mark of what differentiates us from others. How different would I be, if I too, like all other sheep in the country, continued to criticise and bark hollow at the government and people whom we dislike?

I would be no different, says the Bible. Without love, we strike at a gong and find we are equally hollow. Shallow waters that do not correctly reflect what God has chosen for us to be.

And yet, how difficult it is for us to practise Love. All around us hatred brims full. And it is easy to react with anger when injustice takes place. We puff up our chests with indignant pride, a righteous anger is alright, so we condition ourselves in believing.

But HOW can I practise love? HOW do I show love to someone who blatantly hates me? I understand that I SHOULD. But loving a team of jihadists from Indonesia when they want to continually attack – sounds preposterous. Yet, what I believe – being a Christian – might indeed be preposterous. Loving when loving is the most difficult thing in the world.

As an army of 2000 and more continues to build up its forces (Indonesia’s Muslim Youth Movement recruiting soldiers from Phillipphines, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia) to train and send suicide bombers to fight the Lebanese cause, I pause to scratch my head in wonderment. Organised suicide seems to be the order of the day. I cannot comprehend it.

Yet, I am to love these people. It is a daily struggle.

Love your neighbour as you love yourself.