I don’t read a lot of fiction, but when a book is recommended to me by someone I love (my daughter), I make an exception.  And although this story is fiction, the spirituality woven through it rings truth.  The book is ‘Where the Crawdads Sing,’ by Delia Owens and if you haven’t read it, I suggest that you do.  But, this post is not a book review so enough said.

There is one line in the book, however, that really stuck with me.  The line is, “I never hated them, they hated me.”  It got me thinking…..

I can honestly say that I have had few, if any, real enemies in my life.  Sure, there were times when I was really so angry or hurt that I felt hatred for that person.  I even don’t like typing that because hatred is such an ugly word.

Hatred leads to loneliness, isolation and despair.  It fuels division.  It screams for revenge.

I read something from Richard Rohr a couple of weeks ago.  It said that God’s justice is to love more. I thought about Jesus’ life and how many times He could have called for justice (as we define it).  I think especially of His final hours on the cross when He could have called all of heaven down.  And yet, He asked His Father to forgive ‘them – us’.

Can you imagine what this world would be like if our answer to justice was to ‘love more?’  I’m not discounting the rule of law, or delving into politics, I’m just suggesting that we think about this Gospel message.

Love more…..talk about heaven on earth!