Two loves

TWO LOVES: Prior to his presidency, Jimmy Carter engaged in what Baptists refer to as "pioneer missions." On one assignment he was teamed up with Eloy Cruz, a pastor from Brooklyn, and together they witnessed to Spanish-speaking families in Springfield, Massachusetts. Carter was both embarrassed by the deference with which Cruz treated him and impressed by the gentle yet effective way in which Cruz was able to engage the Hispanic families.

Afterward Carter asked Cruz what the source of his gentle approach was, to which Cruz responded (in Spanish): "'Well, our Savior cannot do much with a man who is hard." And then he added, "You only need two loves in your life: for God, and for the person in front of you at any particular time." Carter found these simple words more profound than those contained in all the theological books on his shelves (Our Endangered Values, Simon & Schuster, forthcoming).

COPYRIGHT 2005 The Christian Century Foundation
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