The Pace Required for Loving Others

Honey, there’s something on your leg.

It was a tic.

On a beautiful spring day, we set out with friends for a casual walk along a railroad grade.

When I got up closer to him I saw it was tics. Plural. Lots of tics all over our legs. We looked down, and they were like ants on the ground. I’ve never seen anything like it.

After frantically swatting them off our legs, we all took off.

I don’t run, but I did on that day -a hard and fast pace -more than a little determined to get to new ground that was not crawling.

Love. My preacher man says from the pulpit that it’s a full-on run.

Above all, love each other deeply.  (1 Peter 4:8 NIV)

It’s the kind of love that exerts itself, like a horse in full gallop, stretched out.

Running toward love like I ran toward tic-free ground. Desperate and highly motivated. Giving no thought to side-ache and burning calves.

Refusing to stop.

A while ago someone hurt my feelings -said something caustic. I felt myself pulling back from her in anger. But then I remembered that love moves toward. No, love runs toward. I exerted myself all week –forgiving, loving, and trying to understand.

Who do you need to run toward with love?