Contempt...

Due to a recent experience, I have been contemplating the idea of contempt... its effects on giver and receiver, its purpose and motives, etc. I wrote this little statement.

You vilify me to separate me,
to separate yourself from me.
In separating yourself
you deny yourself.
In protecting yourself,
you create contempt for yourself.

What does it mean to experience contempt, both giving and receiving. Does either party really escape the destruction of it? What is the purpose of contempt, and why do we proliferate it in our community?

It is used to make someone feel less than worthy of love. In judging others as unlovable, we reinforce our own belief in our own unlovable state. This is the lie that destroys, and we continue to support it with our own actions toward one another and ourselves.

Just because you do not agree with the way someone lives, can you not allow them the freedom to be responsible for themselves without treating them with contempt? We are all learning. We all make mistakes, sometimes repeatedly. No one has this down perfect. Where is the kindness, patience and forbearance that we all desire and need? I would like to encourage us all to love one another. Jesus made a great statement... "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love." The term "loved" used here is in imperfect tense. It means have loved, am loving, and will always love. So, what would it look like to actually "abide" in this love, so that every action and reaction is based solely and completely from this place of security that you are already completely loved and embraced, even in ways that you cannot love or embrace yourself. We would drop all posturing, all defense, all everything and just be able to accept others.

Abide in my love.