One of the most powerful prescriptions for loving each other comes at the words of Jesus just before he went to the cross. It is recorded in the gospel of John, chapter 15:

9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

It’s a struggle, that.

I’m particularly struggling through this with the LightChildren. They are struggling with a friend and are learning some new relationship tools. So I find myself reflecting on this passage on many levels … the kerfuffle of earlier this week regarding critique, TexasBlueBelle and her man and now my children … not to mention my own processing of issues from our CLB. How do we love people in the midst of strife?

I’m heading out the door to a sewing retreat where I will sew and meditate upon this. So add your thoughts at will and I’ll enjoy reading them when I return.