Ropes of Love

"It was I who taught them to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. For I led them with cords of human kindness and ropes of love; I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them." - Hosea 11:3-4

I recently heard a woman say that she became Muslim because the church of Isalm was "obligated" to help her financially when she could not afford to care for herself and her child. Often times we experience God's love when life is most difficult because people around us reach their arms out to help. It's a natural act of compassion and human kindness. However, if it's an obligation then is it really an act of love? This sweet woman found out I was a Christian and said when she was young none of the "christians" she knew were very compassionate or helpful to her. While many of us steer clear of labels that have rubbed us roughly, we should be careful not to make sticker generalizations. I'm guilty of making assumptions about people with bumper stickers, and for that reason, I have never placed one on my vehicle in fear of being labeled. However, if we start avoiding "groups" of people that reflect hypocrisy or something we dislike, eventually we will have to stop associating with all humans beings. Then, we'd miss out on that genuine act of love that keeps us from sinking into the deep muck of life. The glimmer of hope heals us from within our circumstances by reaching a rope long enough for us to grab. Without the authentic hand of God reaching down through His human son, and now his authentic human followers who hold His Spirit, we'd be at a loss for love. Our ropes would be all too short to reach one another. So, instead of making broad generalizations, we should seek to get to know one another deeply so that we can see if someone's ropes, or roots, are real or merely producing fake fruit. Without God reaching down through human hands, I would not have made it through my life's valleys with the joy I experienced. His ropes are strong, and when He's taught us enough, we begin to walk on our own without strings attached.