“Above all, maintain constant love for one another,
for love covers a multitude of sins.”
–1 Peter 4:8
Last October, Lori and I enjoyed a week in Utah. Traveling with her brother and sister-in-law we visited five national parks–Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Each of those places has incredible beauty and, despite their close proximity to each other, diverse landscapes. We enjoyed all of them, but a personal favorite was Canyonlands.
On the day we were driving through it, we stopped at a spot called Mesa Arch. On the walk from the parking lot we saw a man coming toward us wearing a San Francisco 49ers hat. That football team had played the previous night and I made some comment to him about their win. He shared that one of the most memorable events of childhood was when his father would take him to a 49ers game. Apparently in those days, spectators had to wear hardhats as the fans would frequently throw objects from the stands toward the field. And I thought that such things happened only at a previous stadium that once served as home for my favorite NFL team!
We soon began to chat about more important things. He had retired from a career in cancer research. During his working years he had been part of teams that cured five forms of pediatric cancer. A year or so earlier he had become ill himself with a different disease and decided it was time to retire. Throughout our chat, he exuded such a positive and warm spirit.
Toward the end of our time, one of us mentioned some current political topic. I don’t remember who brought it up or even the issue, but without naming our respective political leanings, we both expressed frustration. Just as we were winding down our chat, though, he said to us “These are crazy times in our country right now. We just need to love each other.” With that, we wished each other a good day and went on our way.
In a letter long ago, the Apostle Peter expressed a similar sentiment. He wasn’t talking about political matters, but rather how people outside, and sometimes within, the faith were engaged in all kinds of problematic behavior. Even so, Peter encouraged the letter’s recipients to be steadfast in making choices more fitting for a follower of Jesus, regardless of what others did. In other words, not to allow bad behavior to negatively impact their own. “Above all,” he wrote, “maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.”
On a weekend when our country marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, such an approach sounds wise to me. It’s easy to get caught up in the differences in our land and some of them are quite significant. It’s possible to get discouraged, too, about what is happening today and where our country seems to be headed. Still, when we see injustice in this land or are otherwise unhappy about what is happening in a particular aspect of American culture, we clearly have options.
As we can let our representatives know what we expect of them. We can follow-up with a campaign contribution and a vote for the individuals who best represent our values. We can register our dissent in public gatherings and join our hands with others seeking to bring about change. All of those choices and others are within our means. Each of them, too, is a way to make sure our voice is heard.
Yet whatever else we do, that gentleman at a national park had the right idea when he said “We just need to love each other.” It was a good reminder to me of the best approach when feeling frustrated by events in our land. And it may well be the only way to ensure there is a 251st national birthday and countless more.
Sovereign of all lands, I give thanks for this milestone in American history. Help me to maintain an attitude of love toward my fellow citizens, especially those with whom I vehemently disagree. Amen.
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