Category: Love/relationships

Liking v. Loving

Published on by lindseybiggs1 Comment

I had the wonderful realization last night that I don’t have to like everyone, but I do get the privilege and have the ability to love everyone. While it might seem easier to love the people that we like, Jesus shows us how to go deeper.

He said, “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

This makes me think of Jesus disciples being in one big love fest where everyone gets along and no one has any conflict. However, we have evidence in the Bible that some disciples found it hard to get along. I like to think that even if we don’t like someone we can still have the humility and unselfishness to work together, as Jesus’ disciples did. And we have the spiritual understanding to know that each individual is made in the loving image of God.

In a way, this way of loving each other is a lot simpler than trying to get human personalities to blend. It goes straight to the divine, to the Truth and spiritual state of things. It frees me from even wasting time trying to get human personalities to match up when I can go right to the true idea and get to know each one as the son and daughter of God.

What is your identity?

Published on by lindseybiggs1 Comment
Some might say these are unlikely friends.

Recently, a friend shared how she was praised at church while serving in a particular capacity. The praise was given by a fellow church member. Knowing both of these individuals, I admired their ongoing friendship and the way they appreciate the God-given qualities in one another such as integrity, dependability, honesty, forthrightness, compassion, and care. These individuals have served in church together for many years.

If I look at just the material surface of things, I might wonder how these individuals could be friends since they are so different: you could say one is a conservative, upper-class man while the other a liberal, middle-class lesbian.

How can these two different individuals serve together for decades in church and share a friendship that dives so much deeper than a material sense of things? By truly appreciating one another as God’s child – as brothers and sisters of the one Father-Mother God.

“…man is not material; he is spiritual”, wrote Mary Baker Eddy (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 468). If our identity is spiritual, that means it isn’t made of anything temporal (or temporary). We are made of God’s thoughts, ideas and qualities. This certainly makes me want to get to know who and what God is, so that I can know who and what we are – what we are made of.

“God’s being is infinity, freedom, harmony, and boundless bliss.” (Ibid, 481)

“God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love.” (Ibid, 465)

Meditating on each these synonyms and attributes for God gives us a greater understanding of who God is; and it tells us about what we are made of since we are made in God’s image and likeness. It also reveals how our human relationships can transcend material confines and be harmonious, united and long-lasting.

A day to remember Love

Published on by lindseybiggs1 Comment

On this Day of Remembrance, there is an air of sadness as we recall the events that took place.

Why this sadness? Because the foundations we held to were shaken. It is the continued suggestions of the serpent of evil that it can overpower good; that it can crush love.

Can it? Really?

I say no. Good is a synonym for God. Goodness, hope, integrity, forgiveness, compassion and love can not be trampled on or destroyed. The inherent nature of each one of us can never be touched. The carnal mind may try to destroy all that we love. But we have “treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:20 NKJV) When we place our whole affection on God, good, divine Love nothing that we love can ever be destroyed.

This may sound hard. However, with each blessing we receive, we can recognize its source as Life, Love, Spirit – our Heavenly Father-Mother – giving us all we need each moment. We can fill our hearts up full of love and gratitude for this beautiful, invincible force which is always caring for us, perpetuating Her love for us in ways that are visible and real to us.

Love isn’t distant or far-off. Love is tender and kind; Love doesn’t withhold; Love is patient and true; Love doesn’t punish or condemn. I Corinthians 13 describes the essence of Love perfectly. I often think this letter is telling me how to love better, and indeed it is. However, it also describes divine Love – the nature and essence of the perfect Love that is considering our needs, that is enforcing Herself in our lives, that is embracing and holding us each moment. Feel the heart of this Love. In this heart of Love there is no anger or hatred; all of this melts away. We feel the redemptive power of this Love forgiving us and enabling us to forgive others. All sins are wiped away; all material records expunged. We are washed clean. With God all things are possible.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” – I Corinthians 13:4-8 (New International Version)