Love, Love, Love.

 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” --Matthew 22:36-40

The (United) Methodist Church holds a General Conference every four years. Delegates elected by their respective conferences travel from around the world to praise God and be about the business of the church. In 2000, the General Conference was held here, in Cleveland, Ohio.

A pastor friend was given the privilege of chauffeuring Bishop Kulah, from Liberia, back and forth, from the airport, to the hotel, to meetings, etc.

At that time, many many people-- most, maybe-- believed that this was the year, now was the time when the conversation over homosexuality would come to a head, and there would be a schism in the United Methodist Church in this country-- over homosexuality.

So during these drives back and forth, my pastor friend had opportunity to speak with this Liberian bishop about this matter, whether or not the African church felt there would be a split in the church. His reply has stayed with me.

He said, in essence, that in Africa thousands of children are dying, because they have no clean water. Poverty is rampant, off-the-charts. Children are being killed in civil wars, dying of HIV acquired from their parents, a death sentence from birth-- borne out of innocence. As all these tragedies are happening, America is worrying about who is sleeping with whom.

He said perhaps the church needs to look at a bigger picture and expend its energies helping solve the issues of poverty, taking a stand against civil wars, offer greater health assistance and education to stave off the spread of HIV.

Bishop Kulah said perhaps Americans need to look at a bigger picture.

What is making God weep today? Are we weeping, as well? Are we seeing a bigger picture?