God Loves (Some) Facebook Videos

I was watching a video a friend of mine had shared on her Facebook page yesterday.  It was a compilation video of children and teens showing kindness and good sportsmanship to one another on the playing field. 

In one memorable moment, a high school softball player, who had been paralyzed from an accident, was carried around the bases by members of an opposing team so she could experience one last home run.  

My friend commented that she had tears streaming down her face when she watched the video.  I have to admit, I, too, felt a knot in my own throat as I watched. 

I got to thinking about all of the similar "feel-good" videos I've been seeing lately on other friends' Facebook pages---quite a lot of them actually.  I've often wondered about the popularity of these videos.  What makes us watch them, share them and cry over them?  

In the book of Genesis, the Creation account declares that God created humankind (both male and female) in the "image of God."  In brief, this means that all of us are imprinted with the DNA of God.  And it is that encoding that draws us to the things that matter to God.  

The reason why your heart breaks and overflows with joy when you see people doing things that are beautiful, sacrificial and life-giving is because that's exactly how it makes God feel.  

This world is far from perfect, and it feels like so many of us are more divided than ever over just how to make it right.  But in the midst of all of our brokenness, sadness and outrage, all it takes is one image, one moment of beauty, sacrifice and goodness to remind us of who we really are.  

Frederick Buechner once wrote, "To journey for the sake of saving our own lives is little by little to cease to live...it is only by journeying for the world's sake--even when the world bores and sickens and scares you half to death--that little by little we start to come alive."  

So, beloved child of God, who is created in God's very image... live today for the sake of the world.  Share beauty, create beauty, and do what is good, merciful and life-giving no matter what it costs you.  In other words, live as Jesus lived--He who loved and gave himself for us.  

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.