"Love Isn't About Agreeing... It's About Sacrificing"

I found this nugget of truth when I signed on to my Facebook this morning.  It's so refreshing when God brings hearts & minds together even through people we may never know or meet this side of heaven.

I have been thinking on this very subject for several days (actually longer, but contemplating a blog post for several days)...

I have Ann Voskamp starred as a "see first" in my newsfeed.  She is so encouraging with her devotions & messages...

and yet this can be a challenge as well.

"Love isn't about agreeing with someone"

I love my husband dearly... and I love my daughter & her family dearly... I love my parents & family dearly...

but we do not agree on everything...

and that's okay.

God made each of us as unique individuals who have minds of our own...

and we use them.

"It's about sacrificing for someone"

I grew up physically surrounded by my family... my Granny & Aunt Karen lived in the homeplace in the center -- with my family, my aunts, uncles & cousins a stone's throw away (each of Granny's children were given part of the homeplace to build their homes).

In such a big family, we all loved each other...

but we didn't necessarily agree on everything...

but we all loved each other (and still do).

I watched as sacrifice after sacrifice was made in each household... and collectively as one family.
And I've also seen the opposite side of this --

"if you loved me, you'd agree with me"

or

"since I don't agree with you, I'm withholding my love & support from you"
There's a scene from one of the UPtv movies that hits this nail right smack on its head. 
Ed Asner played the old grandfather who had disowned his daughter when she married the son of his "arch enemy".  Years had gone by...  then his granddaughter came back to the hometown to take care of her Mother's estate.  The young lady had never met her grandfather... no relationship... no bond... no anything.

Here's a closing scene from the movie that brings Ann Voskamp's message into perspective.

We don't have to agree ...
and if we don't, it's still okay.

Sometimes it's our own pride that we must sacrifice in order
to cultivate our relationships with others.

in families

in friendships

in the workplace

in our communities

in our churches

Just because we may not agree with someone...

it certainly does not give us God's permission to withhold from them.

After all,

didn't God give His One & Only Son for us?