A Resource We Can Share Freely

By Rev. Caitlin Childers Brown

Pastor and Minister of Service & Community

I just finished reading a really marvelous book called What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo. It is a beautifully detailed account of her healing with the diagnosis of Complex-PTSD. Foo is an excellent writer, and her stories are honest and vulnerable. I'm always a fan of books that highlight any sort of movement towards healing or thriving - I think that's a bit of the Kingdom hope in me.

As I've been thinking about these stories of healing, trauma, and the goodness of life, I can't help but circle back to this good news gospel idea: Jesus' main commands are to love God and love one another. There isn't a limit to this command from God. As I've read stories or healing or wholeness or just general happiness, I see evidence that our thriving is deeply connected to being in places where we can love one another well. It's a reminder that God knew these greatest commandments could lead to our joy too. At one point in the book, Foo writes this quote that has really stuck with me:

"Love is not a finite resource, something you have to mete out carefully like a package of Oreos. Instead, providing love begets more love, which begets more and more love."

As much as I love Oreos, we all know how quickly we reach the end of the package if we eat too many at one time. But love for one another and for God isn't like our blessed Oreos; it doesn't have to be measured. Or if love is like Oreos, then maybe it's like a limitless box of Oreos - a magical refilling sort of thing where we never run dry, a dream box of Oreos. Love is a resource we can share freely. We know God has shared it freely with us, and we can also share it freely with others. When we enter moments with love and care first instead of fear, anxiety, or worry, we open ourselves to beautiful moments of connection, joy, and beauty.

As you go throughout your week and encounter your daily life of meetings, appointments, and interactions with loved ones and strangers, I hope you ponder this idea, to share love as if it is a limitless box of Oreos where you just never reach the bottom.