Encouraging Words

Gaby has been a wonderful student to have in class.  She is very responsible, showing a high degree of professionalism in her communication with the instructor, and was diligent about getting her work done early or on time.  Gaby is clearly thoughtful, and asks important questions.  As well, she is intuitive and offers important insights about practice and client interventions.  Gaby has a particular interest in understanding cultural differences, and because of this, has exhibited openness to learning and understanding more about herself, in order to work effectively with a wide range of people.  She has expressed a desire to serve underprivileged and marginalized people, and will have an opportunity to do so in her field placement at an agency working with a refugee population.  She also exhibited this commitment by going to South America during the semester to serve and learn.  Gaby will benefit from gaining confidence and advocacy skills, which will come from continuing to work in the field.  She brings a sensitivity and intuition to the field of Social Work, which will benefit those whom she serves.

Professor at USC 

Good News about Injustice

Unconditional Love

Our society promotes a love that is based on conditions. I will be good to you if you are good to me. I will love you if you love you. I will stay with you if you prove you are worth staying with.

This is conditional. 

This is love based on conduct. 

Women are taught this to the extreme. You have to dress the right way, have a nice body and please your husband -- or else he will stray from you. You have to be good at sex and learn how to satisfy him. You must put him above you and everything else in your life. You are the lesser person so you must submit yourself to his needs. You must neglect your own needs because if you don't -- there's a threat he will leave you. 

Isn't this the message the world teaches? A love and marriage based on conduct and conditions. A conditional love that's hard on having to do the "right" things to be loved. 

This world also recognize that at times men cheat. There's articles on that too. 

"10 Ways to Keep Your Man from Cheating" 

This idea focuses on teaching women that somehow because your man cheats on you ---> it's your fault. 

Because she wasn't sexual enough, experimental enough, caring enough,... etc fill in the blank. 

We are taught in our society to believe that we are only worth a man's acceptance. 

How can we possible comprehend or understand a love that is not conditional? How can we learn ourselves to love in such a way?

Unconditional 

Absolute; it'll happen no matter what else happens. 

How do we know how to do that --- if the only love we are shown is based on conditions? How can we learn to accept such a love - if we have been taught we must be good to be loved? 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."

There is no way to seperate ourselves from the love of Christ. It is unconditional. 

Exodus

There's something that's so interesting when you see a powerful leader weakened.

Exodus tells the great story of how God used a baby in a basket to be saved in a river and ultimately used for his glory. But let us not forget about what happens before -- Pharaoh feels threaten. 

The first chapter of Exodus does not actually say that the Israelites were "powerful" but it says they were numerous. They were multiplying. Pharaoh felt threatened by these people just based on the vas number of people. So because Pharaoh was afraid they would take over -- he oppressed them. 

This kinda gives a new perspective for modern day oppression doesn't it? What if the weakest people were oppressed just because they were feared? What if women were oppressed because they were actually powerful? What if children were oppressed because of their innocence? What if leaders actually just felt afraid and weren't powerful at all?

Pharaoh subjected the Israelites to slave labor. He felt powerful by seeking them physically broken and exhausted. In verse 14, Exodus says "They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of works in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly." 

It kinda reminds me of this story & example of children in India: 

http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/20/toddlers-freed-from-brick-kiln-bondage/

The beauty about Exodus is that it doesn't end in Chapter one. It continues onward & it tells the tale of a ruler used by The Lord to save the people he loves. 

The ending is the same for every ounce of oppression that occurs in our lives today. The story doesn't end with a powerful leader being afraid of the weak. The story ends with the greatest leader of all time bringing justice for his people and redeeming them through grace, mercy and love. 

That's the king I want to follow.