Loving Wastefully.

Titus 3:3-7

Imagine if God loved us the way we love! People, things, places. I think of how many times in my life I've discarded something (or more tragically) someone, because it or they didn't live up to my expectations, or to my standards of usefulness.
We are a culture of using and tossing. I hate to be a Scrooge this time of year, but as each year passes I am still disappointed in myself and how I use money on gifts and things people don't want or need. It's not that my loved ones aren't appreciative; it's more often that I wait breathlessly for them to be impressed by my thoughtfulness!
There is nothing we can do to impress God. She knows us too intimately. There is nothing we can buy or any action we can take to make God love us more, because that love is beyond our comprehension. If only instead of living wastefully we could "love wastefully," as Bishop Spong proposes.
Here's to living simply and loving lavishly, embarrassingly, joyously, and wastefully today, and this year!

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for overlooking our flaws, and for loving us despite our shortcomings.
Thought for the day: In spite of our flaws and sin, God loves us completely.
(From November/December Upper Room, a publication of the United Methodist Church)