Compassion and tough love

Sunday September 10th, Psalm 146: Do not put your trust in rulers or those who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground and on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is one whose help and hope is in the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the LORD, who remains faithful forever. The Lord upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free and gives sight to the blind, The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down and loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow but frustrates the ways of the wicked. The LORD reigns for all generations. Come let us Praise the LORD. The eternal plan of God is to bring hope to the hopeless and salvation to all of humanity. Hope means watching over the outsiders in each community, watching out for the orphaned and those left alone in the world. Frustrating the way of the wicked is just a loving God’s way of helping those who don’t think they need God’s help and presence, and to help them see that indeed they do need that presence. Wholeness comes not when one side wins out over another, but when all gather around the throne of God, bathed in God’s loving grace. Caring for those who feel hopeless and frustrating the ways of the wicked are both acts of love. One is compassion, the other is tough love.