Jesus was the Original Hippy

Before I really started dedicating myself to God, and trying to live a more Christ-centred life, I spent a lot of time focussing on loving everyone.

I spent a lot of time in my childhood and youth asking myself why people had to be so mean. I remember crying during recess because two girls that I knew were fighting. I wasn't even involved in the fight, I just hated that they were upset at each other. I've always been a bit of a pacifist towards others (not including my brothers), and I find myself really uncomfortable when other people aren't. I firmly believe that you should treat everyone with respect and love, ESPECIALLY when you disagree with their actions and speech.I lost my faith at a very young age, but I still needed something to believe in, and this was it. Everyone believes in something; Christians believe that Christ is our saviour, Capitalists believe that they need money to be happy, Atheists believe in the superiority of man, and I believed that the world would be a much better place if everyone just loved each other. I still do. Yes, I come from a hippy family, and Yes, I consider myself to be one as well, but in all honesty, I think that's what led me back to God.

Hold the eye-rolls for just one second. If you take a look into what Jesus stands for, you could pretty much say that Jesus was the original hippy. No, he wasn't a pot smoking, free love, unemployed person who smelled like patchouli (although he may have smelled much worse. Besides, you don't need any of those things to be a hippy). Jesus was anti-war, anti-hate, and anti-violence. Additionally, the times that this was most evident was when followers of God were acting out towards those who sinned against him. One of the most popular Bible stories that construes this idea is John 8:1-11. Yes, what this woman was doing was wrong, and God himself has labelled adultery as a sin, but Jesus was able to forgive her. We often take it upon ourselves to judge others for their wrong doings, when we are no better. We make up explanations of how our sins are lesser than our neighbours', and find reasons to demonize those who are sinfully our equals. If Jesus, who is without sin, can love us despite our sins and transgressions, then we can love our fellow man just as we would wish to be loved. For, all the hatred we think others deserve, then we must deserve that hatred as well. Also, all the love that we think we deserve, others deserve too.

1 John 4:10-11
In this love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Love everyone.