All WE Need Is Love

Dear Friend,  It's Been A Rough Weekend  Stories of hate and anger rage out of control. The streets are filled with bodies, dead, dying, hurting, crying, weeping. It is not a pretty scene. Social media is in a state of chaos. There is a feeling of separation, captivity, an exile into disparate corners. I do not claim to have any answers. Regardless of where you might stand on the issues, I just want to take a minute this morning to share the three most powerful influences in my little world over the past three days.

Martin Luther King, Jr "The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it spreads it... Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."  Nelson Mandela "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." The Prophet Jeremiah "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have scattered you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." Did You Know? If each of us turned to one person toward whom we have felt the least bit of hate or anger (or even a little miffedness) and extended a hand of reconciliation, a hug of compassion or a simple word of hope - we would change the world. TODAY!

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Dave Southwick