Graffiti

On my way home last week, I noticed someone had spray-painted the word ‘LOVE’ on a billboard by Westcliff station. Of course, in Southend, graffiti is not something that we are all oblivious to. Every time I walk past St Albans church I notice the bitter words that have been graffiti’d on their notice board. I can’t help but think that sometimes it is a most accurate picture of the world we live in today. One only needs look at the headlines of the newspapers or turn on the 10 o’clock news to see the stories of destruction, hatred and suffering. Why is it so rare to hear about someone standing up for justice, equality, and love?

The sin of omission is to ‘not do what one can and ought to do’. Often we think that as long as we do not break the Ten Commandments, we have not sinned. But Jesus also gave us the Greatest Commandment, to love God, and to love other people. To truly love others is to stand up for their rights when they are oppressed, to feed them when they are hungry, to encourage them when they are down, to shelter them when they are homeless, to pick them up when they stumble; just as you would wish someone to do for you; to love, as you are loved.

I often find myself talking about how much I love my friends, when really, I should be striving to more effectively love my enemies. Cause I am rubbish at that. There is a famous Mother Teresa saying that says: "if we want to make peace, we should not talk to our friends, but to our enemies." (That lady came out with some right gems of wisdom. I might begin to quote her more.) But it is so true. Often we get caught up so much in loving the people that matter to US, that we forget about the people that matter to God.

I don't really know what I'm trying to say here. I wrote this last week. I'm just publishing it now.