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I often enjoy watching Clint Eastwood’s movies or even a “spaghetti western” with a plate of…you got it…spaghetti, but today’s story isn’t about the iconic actor’s movies. Instead, the title refers to a phrase I’ve often used to describe unconditional love—the kind that led me to this Easter inspiration. Whether you’re a Christian, agnostic, or somewhere in between, wouldn’t you agree that there’s something really cool about a person who “bucked the religious system?” A man who passionately sought out the discarded and broken—a man who boldly told those touting their “goodness” that they should basically think again.
The month of April seems to bring with it so much promise. Maybe it’s the way nature blooms again after seeming dead, or maybe it’s the anticipation of summer which affects those around us—more smiles, more sunshine, porch-side lemonade, and backwoods stargazing from a truck bed. I can’t help but think that this renewal in April was planned to be symbolic of the man I spoke about earlier—the one whose grace, kindness and mercy riled the religious leaders so strongly that they plotted to kill him. Performance-based religion has a way of doing that. Of killing grace. Some legalistic rules even create requirements no human can ever truly achieve. And this man I spoke of earlier? The religious leaders told him to avoid sinners. To keep his distance. But guess what? He didn’t. He stepped in anyway—not to condone vile behavior, but to move toward it, driven by compassion, not condemnation, to help the hurting. And his love—that complete, pure, and powerful love—transformed not just the homes of sinners, but their wounded hearts too. They changed because of that kind of love. The kind that walks straight into rooms where the forgotten huddle—unseen, untouched, and broken. Have you ever felt that way? I have. I’ve felt forgotten and broken many times. I remember being at my worst when some would turn away or harshly reprimand me to “do better.” When people are drowning, do we tell them to try a different technique to stay afloat? No. We reach down and rescue them. That’s what this man did. He didn’t care about the cleanliness of his clothing, or what religious leaders would think. Instead, without hesitation, he descended into the darkest depths seeking those crying for help, those needing rescued. And he continues to rescue. He even rescued me when I was a child. Since that day, I’ve wanted to share his kind of love. I want to love the rejected, to tell those who feel ugly that they’re beautiful. I want to visit the lonely—not just once, but regularly. I want to bless the restaurant server, the lonely widows, the children who are cast aside. I want my eyes to have true 20/20 vision—eyes that look outward, not inward. Eyes that seek out ways to make a difference with vision so clear and powerful, that no one in my view ever feels unseen again. And Easter? Well, Easter has a way of reminding me that on a morning like no other, Love triumphed with a healing testimony to all. We matter. We are beautiful. We are loved. And we aren’t saved by our performance. We can start anew. Right now. I am so grateful for that kind of love. The love that encompasses all…. …even the good, the bad, and the ugly. ~Karina Garrison
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