There's a phrase in the hymn "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" that caught my attention today:
"Keep love's banner floating o'er you"
Then, with a little Google searching, I found this tidbit about army banners:
"Up to World War One it was common for armies to carry flags into battle, simply to give the troops something to rally behind or to defend. ... The flag would be their ‘focal point’ during the battle, it would be at the forefront of the advance, or steadfast in a defense."
What wonderful imagery! I love the idea of having love be our banner, even (and especially) in the face of opposition.
For example, what should you do when your kids are having meltdowns, throwing tantrums, and being generally defiant and unruly? Keep love's banner flying high! Choose love by responding with warmth and gentleness instead of lashing out with your own explosion of emotions.
Or how about when you have a conflict with your spouse (or anyone else for that matter)? Keep love's banner flying high! Choose love by humbly trying to see things from their point of view instead of stubbornly standing your ground.
And what about when you make mistakes and are tempted to spiral downward into the rabbit hole of self-hatred? Keep love's banner flying high! Choose love by viewing yourself with compassion and mercy instead of berating yourself for being imperfect.
I hope we can all work to "keep love's banner floating o'er us"—rally behind it, defend it, and keep it as our focal point no matter what comes our way!
