merry christmas:truly he taught us to love one another

Faith would be a lot easier if it didn’t call for believing in things so doggone invisible, I thought as I got up to grab one of the ginger snaps I had just baked.

And yes, I thought the word doggone.

And yes, I just baked ginger snaps. Turned out well, too. Not that I’m bragging; you all saw what happened last time I baked cookies. Just saying that people get better at things, I guess.

But invisible. I am not just talking about a baby a long time ago that was born of a virgin. I am not even just talking about a resurrection that took place years later.

I guess what I am talking about is this line from one of my favorite carols that especially haunts me every time I hear it this year.

Truly he taught us to love one another

Now I realize there are a lot more words to the song. Those old carols seem to be very good at packing words into a measure, if nothing else. And most of the time there is actually a lot else. But that phrase up above, that’s enough. Enough because it’s so big, so daunting, so invisible.

And sometimes so hard.

But the word taught, well that’s something. It implies that just maybe we weren’t very good at it at one point. And maybe that’s okay. Not to stay there, but to start there.

I mean, sure, we’re good at loving those who love us. I’m especially great at loving the people who make me feel good about myself. And don’t even get me started on how easy it is to love the people who make me laugh. But loving everybody?

I think I need to be taught.

A little every day, please.

Because sometimes that love is so invisible.

But truly he teaches us to love one another.

In every situation.

Especially the ones in which love becomes invisible.

Here’s to that love. Here’s to Christmas. Here’s to God being willing to teach us to love one another. And how that changes everything. But everything is so nonspecific. So large, when I feel very very small. So then let’s narrow it down:

Here’s to God teaching me to love and here’s to that changing me.

That’s better.