Reflection
There is no fear in love,
1 John 4:18
but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
1 John 4:19-20
It looked like an ordinary school that morning I first entered Montefiore, a “Reform School” on Chicago’s South Side. That surprised me. From my childhood, I had heard how terrible this school was and was told that if I didn’t behave, that is where I would be sent.
I digress. So here I was, just out of college, seeking to establish myself in the work world. After training for eighteen months to become a paper salesman, I was told by the company treasurer that the company couldn’t afford to send out a new salesperson. In 1970, being a paper salesman meant that you would make a lot of money, and that is why I had taken a position as a sales trainee. I had worked in the sample room, the city order desk and had even gone out with salesmen on their calls. Then I was told we can’t keep our promise to you because America was in a recession. No current salesmen were willing to give up even their weak accounts to help grow the business.
Back to Montefiore. I opened the door to enter. While it was a school, I was met by a policeman who asked me he could help. I explained that I was sent here by the downtown office to teach High School English. He sent me to the Principal’s Office down the hall, and so began a career that I never wanted, but would provide me not only with the financial needs, but also with emotional needs for the rest of my life. Yes, emotional needs! Whoever thought emotional needs were important in a job? It didn’t happen overnight. It took at least that first year, where I learned not to “control” my students, but to love them. Yes, I know that may sound inappropriate and I think probably because that word “love” has come to be mostly associated with sexual activity. That is not the kind of love I, nor do I believe, the kind of love St. John is talking about above. I believe he is talking about love relating to service. Love and service are very closely related. I like the way one of the cofounders of AA, Dr. Bob said it: “If I say I love you, but don’t serve you, I am a liar; If I serve you and don’t love you, that is an abomination.” AA 24 Hour a Day Book. By abomination I believe Dr. Bob is referring to trying to control a relationship.
Elizabeth Kübler-Ross (1926–2004) who was a great proponent of the Hospice movement and well known for her book On Death and Dying (1969) also wrote a book about living with David Kessler Life Lessons (2001) when she was dying from cancer. In that book she writes that there are only two emotions, love and fear and that all fear is a fear of death. Sounds to me, like St. John’s quote above.
Today’s scripture selection from St. John encourages us to not be afraid, but to love. We can do that because we have first been loved by God, Our creator.
God, help me not be afraid today, but to see your loving hand directing the events of all life and trusting that these are all gifts, gifts from a loving god who cares for not only me but for all creation. Help me to love and serve all of life today.
