Faling Leaves

I love the gorgeous gingko tree in our yard! Over the past few days, our beloved tree has begun its annual fall transformation from beautiful green-fan leaves into a luminous golden-yellow orb. Soon, the bright yellow leaves will let go of their safe hold in the branches and gently fall to the ground below.

As I watch the leaves fall, I can’t help but reflect on what I may need to let go of as well. What am I holding onto that it may be time to release and allow to gently fall away? What about you? We each have individual “leaves” to let go of, but we also have collective “leaves” to release.

I am thinking specifically of the upcoming election next week and I have been praying fervently that we will collectively be able to let the “leaves” of vitriol and division fall away. Sadly, somewhere along the way, insults and rudeness have become equated with strength and honesty. This couldn’t be farther from the Gospel message in which we are called to love one another – neighbor and enemy alike! 

Love is not jealous, boastful, arrogant or rude. 

Love does not insist on its own way. 

Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing.  

Love is patient and kind. 

Love bears, believes, hopes and endures all things.

Love never ends.

Living the love-centered life to which we are called does not mean that we dwell in a land of unicorns and rainbows where we must all agree. In fact, as people of faith, we can disagree and do so loudly, boldly, honestly and clearly. Yet we must do so from a place of love rather than giving in to the powerful public pressure to be arrogant, boastful and rude. 

As the colorful leaves of autumn continue to fall away, I pray that the noisy clang of divisiveness will also fall away; so that faith, hope and love can grow. And the greatest of these is love. 

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal... Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  I Corinthians 13 (excerpts)