What if love is like a vaccine against fear? Many of us approach this Inauguration Day with hope. Hope that we will turn a corner on this pandemic. Hope for an economic recovery that protects the poor. Hope for protections for our environment. Hope for civility in public (and private) discourse.
But we also approach it with fear. Fear that the violence we witnessed two weeks ago at the Capitol was only the beginning. Fear that our representatives won’t be able to pass legislation. Fear that democracy in the United States is waning. Fear that families will splinter into divided factions. Fear, even, of civil war.
What if love is like a vaccine against fear?
We’ve all learned a lot lately about how vaccines work. They not only protect the person who receives the vaccine from infection, but they also protect the community. Once 70% of the population (or so) receives the vaccine, the whole population is protected from the spread of the disease.
Love Is Like a Vaccine
If enough people choose to live in love, what if it not only protects those individuals from fear, but also protects the whole population from hatred and violence? What if the power of love is enough to inoculate us from the corrosive effects of disinformation and conspiracy theories and despair?
Today, I remind myself that I am invited to be rooted and grounded in the expansive, abundant, everlasting love of God. And to live out of that love with every word I write, every person I encounter, every dollar I spend, every bite I eat, and every, every prayer I utter.
Choose Love
As individuals, we can choose love rather than fear. Together, we can protect our families, our communities, and our nation as we allow love to strengthen us, equip us, and send us out with open minds, compassionate hearts, and courageous action.
Continue reading with Amy Julia:
- Praying for the End of White Supremacy
- AJB Recommends: Resources for Processing the Riot at the Capitol
- It Is Time for a Third Political Party
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