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Colin Parkinson
Now I suppose that with a headline like this, I’m going to get a whole heap of angry readers posting nasty comments but I ask that before you comment and before you start sending abusive emails to Juana for publishing this article, please hear me out.
As an “unvaccinated” person living in Auckland, I have had my share of difficulties over the past few years. I couldn’t take my children to the local swimming pool or library, I was refused treatment by the emergency dentist for being “unvaccinated” and I still remember the reaction of my (now former) mechanic when he found out I was “unvaccinated” part-way through getting a WOF for my car. On top of all this, I found that even some places that didn’t use “vaccine passports” still wouldn’t let me in because I refused to wear a mask, but none of this was actually done by Jacinda Ardern; this was all done by people “just following orders”. The sad truth is that a great many “ordinary” Kiwis got together and joined the “team of five million” and allowed the division, discrimination and abuse to become a “normal” part of life.
I had actually been planning to write this for a while but after the recent announcement of her resignation as Prime Minister I thought I had better get on and write this now.
So, why do I love Jacinda Ardern? Simple: Because as a Christian I am called to love God with all my heart, to love my neighbour as I love myself and I am also told to love even my enemies. (See: Luke chapter 6, verses 27-36)
As a Christian, I must make a choice to love and forgive others or to continue with the hate and division.
I choose love, love conquers all.
This means that I choose to love and forgive Jacinda Ardern along with all those who have persecuted me.
I will still call for justice, I will still oppose evil legislation and I will still continue to stand up for the weak, poor and oppressed. It isn’t easy, but I wasn’t called to an easy life and even though it is not easy, it is rather simple…Love. I choose to love others and I can because God loves me and has forgiven me much. Knowing His love and forgiveness helps me to love and forgive others. I hope you all will know this kind of (agape) love, the love that overcomes hate.
And now abide these three things: Faith, Hope, Love – The greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
