N Marion Hage: What would love do?    
 What would love do?4 comments
12 Mar 2006 @ 19:19, by N Marion Hage

Love is not simply about individuals. As much as we might try to escape it, we are corporate creatures.

Our welfare consists in figuring out who we are, who we are in relationships, and who we are corporately within a group.

So, I need to love myself- not be self-destructive, realize my potential, and make choices that benefit me.

Second, I need to invest in others, and not only for satisfaction sake, but realizing that it is our highest potential to care about the needs and welfare of others.

Third, realize that we sink or swim as a society, and that is micro- the community, and macro- the nation and the world.

If we lose sight of the greater vision, and think that life is simply about me stuffing my face, I may make "me" happy in the short run, but be a part of why the world is sailing to hell in a hand-basket.

Sure, I believe love is divine, and the center of all purpose in the Universe; but I can't sell that to someone who believes everything is random. However, I have never met someone secular or religious who doesn't want love, and comprehend its value. It is that hard-wired into us that we cheer for love, and are disappointed when we see lack of compassion displayed.

All the same, we need to elevate the conversation of society to the point where it impacts the boardrooms and governments. Where people second guess their rash actions.

I want to convict presidents and governments, kings and princes, that love is the highest way. Every motivation other than love is inferior. Some might say in the hierarchy of motivations, faith, hope and love are greatest, and of these love is the greatest.

Well, then, all choices made in fear, anger, callous disregard must be questioned, and people need to ask, "What would love do?"

Would love poison water? Would love disregard the impact of an action on all life?

In terms of corporate thinking, if I ran a company poluting the stream, would I want my kids drinking from it? Well, somebodies kids are drinking from it.

Some think of love as trite, and that is absolutely horrid thinking. It is the most powerful motivator when grasped.

We can't suppose people wouldn't understand this, but we have to be sold on it to the point of being vocal. The world needs convictions. Some think a convictionless world would lead to less wars. Everyone could get along if no one believed in anything. Well, that won't work because we are hard-wired to search for meaning. No one is content just eating. We need touch, affection, and science proves this in many studies. Life begins to shrivel when nurture is withheld. Babies who are neglected, who have physical needs met but no touch, fail to thrive.

It is wrong thinking to assume no convictions is an answer. But again, we need to be careful about convictions. We need to start with the one conviction mankind can agree upon. Love is one of them.

Love derails every foolish argument. If people are religious or secular, they cannot get around this. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" would wipe out a lot of nonsense. People would offer mercy instead of judgment, wherever possible. We would look for reasons to help, not harm.

One definition of love is taking into account how our actions benefit others. So, faced with any decision, I ask, "What would love do?"

And this is not pie in the sky. I may fail, but at least I would know I failed and there is something to be strived for.

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4 comments

15 Mar 2006 @ 16:08 by rayon : Transubstantiation
that is what Love can do, and yes, it is not pie in sky, and none gets lost but saved by its often invisibility, in the connumdrum of like goes to like in nature.  

15 Mar 2006 @ 17:24 by poetsong : The best we can do is identify love
I think the world (people in general) have set the bar very low in terms of what they expect and what they are willing to give. 50/50 is a compromise. It's striving for "Fair". Love doesn't keep accounts. It is willing to give 100 percent, at least as some have shown.

This is why it is important to look at examples of love displayed, so that people can see how far love is willing to go- sacrificial giving- to benefit others. And giving in love is never being "used" which is something people fear. Yes, some people will give more than others, and in terms of fairness, this seems inequality.

However, in terms of love being the definition and the standard, fairness isn't the issue. Those who will love simply demonstrate the quality of a heart.

Love in action is a powerful voice.  

15 Mar 2006 @ 18:20 by blueboy : I think Humankind is only now
STARTING to grasp Love as a specific "Force" =type of energy(frequency) that has the power to transform!  

16 Mar 2006 @ 14:11 by poetsong : Grasping love.
Those who grasp love may increase in understanding love, but they are in the minority. It's not that others don't want love, or want to understand it, but it's like a forgotten treasure. This is why people who do understand love, and its purpose, are so vital to the health of humanity. We must influence society, and raise the bar of conversation.

In my opinion, mankind has more information and knowledge than ever at its fingertip; but knowledge without character is like electricity without focus. It can do more harm than good, electricuting instead of running a fan.

Love is more than energy, it has a purpose and a will. I think you sense that love is spiritual, transcending a given act or moment in time. And I think I understand why you see this as a matter of positive and negative energy.

I see the energy aspect of imparting strength to benefit or strength to harm, as sowing and reaping, in that love sets things in motion. In fact, hatred sets things in motion. Nothing that comes from our spirit is isolated, because all people are connected (in a manner) When one hurts, we all should hurt, and when one rejoices we should all rejoice. Humans might like to think we are Islands, but we are more like parts of a body, corporate, though unique.

If you look at the spiritual aspect of life, most cultures believe in some form of sowing and reaping. It is universal. Even secular minds believe in it in principle, though they would look for a different root cause. Yet, we not only sow and reap as individuals, but as families and communities. In this we set things in motion that impact not only us, but a group.

This principle is forgotten, but was once understood before we had blenders and toasters and computers.

Some would say, "God is love," and the very nature of the Universe reflects that. When we love, we connect to divine purpose. And so, the sacrifices love demands, and it does demand sacrifices, are never futile. No one ever loves in vain, even if love isn't reciprocated. Good is done, and that good is eternal.

This is why good hearted people should never feel they've wasted their lives. They've sown something to benefit humanity, even if they don't see the instant reward. It's like the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life". We may not see what good we've set in motion, because we don't know what the lives we've impacted would look like otherwise.

If I can't change the heart of my enemy at work, this doesn't mean my attempts to be kind and forgiving are useless. Others watching on see love demonstrated, and are inspired to seek the higher way. And again, blessings can be set in motion that we don't see while they are yet seedlings.

Here's what I see as the norm. People pay lip service to love. They declare, "Sure I love!" -But there is a great difference between loving in word and loving in deed. One is a promise without evidence. The other is evidence of a fulfilled promise.

We need to communicate love, but "Don't tell me you love me, show me you love me!" Actions speak louder than words.

A son may say, "I love you mom, but don't ever ask me to take out the trash..." Well, trash is a small deal that symbolizes a bigger issue. How does the son demonstrate his words? Does he treat his mother with respect or does the evidence show us she is a despised person in his eyes. What is the evidence of hsi claim to love? Does he help her? Or does he just say words because he knows they are right to say, or what she wants to hear?"

Great love acts. It is faithful, and strives to bless. It doesn't demand its own way like a controlling tyrant.

I've seen far to many people who say one thing but demonstrate another. We can't allow a disconnect between what we say and what we demonstrate by our actions.  

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