Love is the essence of God. We know that.

 

At the same time, we can say that there are different kinds of love; we’re talking about that this week. Love for family. Love for our fellow humans. Love for nature.

 

But we can think of what is called Agape Love as “Big-Tent Love.” Agape is an ancient Greek word meaning “Love of God for people, and of people for God.”

 

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

 

Get out of your bitterness toward someone. Stop looking at others as less than you are.

 

Our world is a great big old tent.

 

Your neighbor is you, and you are your neighbor.

 

Let’s pray.

 

Lord, thank you for making us diverse. Help us love all people, all the time. In Jesus’ name, amen.