Whoever loves a brother or sister...

1 John 2:7-11 (NRSV)

⁷ Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. ⁸ Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because^[a] the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. ⁹ Whoever says, ‘I am in the light’, while hating a brother or sister,^[b] is still in the darkness. ¹⁰ Whoever loves a brother or sister^[c] lives in the light, and in such a person^[d] there is no cause for stumbling. ¹¹ But whoever hates another believer^[e] is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.

The practice of Truth in recovery has one overarching and at the same time underpinning principle; Love. Love is the transformative and recreating power of God in the midst of the destructive and dark powers of hate. Love is the vehicle through which God invites us to participate with Him in the New Creation. God invites us to enter the long journey towards home by participating in the culture of home in the here and now. Love is a practice not a fickle feeling.  So let’s get practical, how can we live lives of Love? There are many places in the story of Jesus we might turn but we can describe some basic practices as a starting point and as a good beginning on our journey of the recovery of our mutual home.  The story of Jesus, His teaching and practice provides us with an example to provide ‘a safe place to be’. Jesus created a community where people belonged before they believed; the disciples were a rag tag bunch of diverse people including: women and men, working people and as time passed, reformed Tax Collectors, Pharisees, Roman soldiers and some rich people (Jesus said the rich found His way of being in the world very difficult to accept). The community of disciples was that safe place to be in a dangerous world. Christian disciples surely will advocate for and as far as is possible, provide for all people, a safe place to be at home. This is the community of disciples; ‘a roof over all our heads’. Jesus was a healer; He treated the sick, the unhealthy, those He knew and those He did not know, those in His community and those from other cultures including the so called ‘untouchables’. Health care for all is the Love principle taught through the life example of Jesus.   Knowledge and learning was a key characteristic of Jesus life. Jesus was a teacher and He provided education for all not just the elite and powerful. This was Jesus life practice. He taught a lifelong learning approach that addressed the real questions affecting the lives of people with authority and with compassion.  As a community of disciples we should support and supply, high quality, inclusive, lifelong education for all people no matter their background. Jesus, in His first sermon, clearly stated that He was the living example of good news for the poor. Now we can get all spiritual and say that there will be ‘no poverty in heaven’ (Yawn!). What a total waste of life and opportunity that would be; postponing till after we are all dead, the life-giving Love of Jesus. A community of disciples will be committed to, as far as it depends on them, economic relationships that are inclusive and that all people have a fair share in the wealth that God has provided humanity in this present world. Surely, our Love should be expressed for each other through contributing to the social, financial and material wellbeing of our community through meaningful occupation and work that pays. Jesus was in the building trade and His close friends were fishermen, homemakers, trades people, professional classes and so we could go on. Unemployment, underemployment and poverty pay are the opposite of Jesus teaching. For those who are not in the position to support themselves? Jesus fed them, treated their illness, provided care and taught His disciples to do the same.  When Jesus fed 5000 He fed them all, not just the believers. Jesus was a peace-maker. The disciples of Jesus make peace because the cause and practice of war are the powers that rage against God’s good creation.   Jesus addressed the real needs of people and described His approach as Love.  Leaving, silencing, and ignoring people in poverty in all its mutations (financial, health, housing, energy, social exclusion, sexism, racism, environment, educational, peace; you can add to the list!) with no security and no hope is the opposite of Christian values, attitudes, beliefs and practices.  These practices of inclusion and interdependence are the expression of the values that people are loved by God and should be loved by those who love God. People, all people matter! The love of Jesus provides the social inclusion of: a safe place to be, the opportunity for education, health care, ongoing security for the vulnerable and work that pays. In the practice of ‘Truth in the life of recovery’ we will see the practical care and support that will ensure our journey towards home is valuing, Christ like and leaves nobody behind.