Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

Putting on dry shoes on the Island of Lesbos - Greece

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. —1 John 3:16-18

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them … There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. —1 John 4:16,18

United Methodist Women grieves the tragic loss of life due to ISIS/Daesh violence in Paris (129 people killed), Beirut (43 killed) and in a Russian plane in the Sinai (131 killed). United Methodist Women condemns these terrible acts of violence and continues to pray for victims, for their families and for those who respond. At the same time we pray for the community of nations responding to these events and commit ourselves to acting from a perspective of conviction and compassion, rather than of fear. We decry the use of these atrocities by politicians and the media to evoke fear and hatred at the moment when our Syrian sisters and brothers most need our welcome and support. They, themselves, are fleeing terror from ISIS/Daesh and the effects of bombing by the Assad government, the U.S., France, Russia, and Iranian and Saudi proxy groups. 

United Methodist Women denounces calls by some U.S. governors, candidates and members of Congress to refuse Syrian refugees, to turn away Muslim refugees, and to incite fear and hatred.

Read more at this link.