WRITTEN BY: CHERYL NEMBHARD

Many years ago, in the month of November—just one week before Advent began—love saved my life.

In fact, the reason that I'm even here today, doing the work of God, is because someone audaciously chose to venture beyond the comforts of their church walls and consistently reflect the love of God to those on the streets. This type of love was welcoming, accepting, and free of judgment. It looked like relationship building—like coming alongside with more listening than there ever was talking. It looked far less like preaching and more like a hot chocolate and a donut. This reimagined, out-of-the-box display of God's love changed my life forever.

Fast forward to today. I often find myself wondering… what path would my life have taken if this individual had not given a bold ‘yes’ to coming off the sidelines and pursuing those in the margins? And how many others are out there right now, just waiting to be seen, welcomed, and radically loved?

Shifting from Comprehension to Mobilization

Stepping into the embrace of this Advent season feels like standing at a crossroads—an urgent moment, in the midst of war and suffering, that calls for our collective focus and self-reflection. This sacred journey of reimagining love isn't a mere call for quiet contemplation. It is an impassioned plea to reignite the fire of love within all of us. But not just any love—an audacious love that fiercely advocates for justice in the world and stands with the oppressed, the displaced, the poor, and those on the margins.

As our 8-week Advent series draws to a close, we reach a pivotal moment. Throughout this series, our focus has been on moving beyond the sidelines to actively engage in a faith-infused exploration of justice and mission. In this final week, love takes center stage as the defining element—the transformative force that propels us from the periphery to fully immerse ourselves in God’s mission on earth.

Now, let’s break this down. Because to live a life of radical justice-infused love requires a shift from comprehension to mobilization. We must move from simply understanding abstract theories to diving head first into the messy, beautiful work of Kingdom building.

So here are four fundamental shifts we can cultivate this Advent season as we embark on the journey of reimagining love:

1. Recognizing the Radical Justice of Love

At the heart of our advocacy lies a profound truth: God is love.

In celebrating the birth of Christ this Advent, you and I are invited to not only reflect on, but to participate in, the radical justice embedded in the divine blueprint of love gifted to us by the Creator. Love, in its truest form, is not a fleeting emotion or a mere sentiment; it is a force that binds us to the very heart of a just and compassionate God.

We see this connection in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, where we’re offered a timeless definition of love as an active force that is patient, kind, not envious or boastful, not arrogant or rude, not insistent on its own way, not irritable or resentful, rejoicing in truth, and bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things.

Each quality outlined in this scripture embodies the essence of justice within love. Patience fosters understanding and transformation, kindness manifests as lived compassion, and humility ensures equitable relationships. Rejection of envy and boasting looks like a celebration of difference and diversity. Avoiding arrogance and rudeness ensures a dignified love for all. A selfless attitude values collaboration over personal agendas, while resilience and endurance characterize a love that stands firm through challenges.

As we shift from comprehension to mobilization, we must embrace the truth that God's love carries the seeds of justice, prompting us to live out a love that is inherently just and compassionate. This Advent, let us not only reflect on, but mobilize to embody this type of radical love that displays the heart of God and transcends human understanding.

2. Embracing Advent as a Season of Justice Preparation

Beyond the mere countdown to Christmas, Advent is a season of preparation—a sacred time to prepare our hearts for the arrival of Jesus and the justice he embodies. This season offers up an audacious invitation to move from the sidelines and align our faith with a commitment to the same incarnate justice that our Savior demonstrated.

As we reflect, let’s clear away the clutter of worldly concerns and make room for a love that is not passive but actively engaged in justice—selfless, sacrificial, and welcoming. Let’s ask ourselves how we can actively contribute to creating a more just and compassionate world. And, in the spirit of Mary and Joseph who prepared a humble stable for the Savior, let us prepare the stables of our hearts to receive the transformative power of divine love in action. This sacred space becomes the birthplace of a justice-filled love—a beacon of hope illuminating the darkest corners of our world.

3. Giving the Gift of Radical Presence

In a world skewed toward possessions, our advocacy demands a radical shift toward the gift of presence instead. To embody love through our actions is to be fully present with those around us, sharing in their joys and sorrows with a compassionate and empathetic heart. This is the essence of Christmas itself, as Jesus, through His birth, demonstrated God's radical love by being fully present in the world, bringing hope and compassion to all.

Engaging in acts of justice, kindness, and selflessness, we become active participants in the ongoing story of love and redemption. This Advent, may our love be a present and living testimony to justice—a love that knows no bounds, is given freely to all, and is willing to go to the margins.

4. Embodying Transformative Justice

The culmination of the Advent season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ—a manifestation of divine love and justice. In contemplating this miraculous event, we are invited to experience a love that has the power to transform lives, heal wounds, and bring joy and light into the darkness.

Let’s reimagine love as a dynamic force that compels us to seek justice, extend mercy, love with compassion, welcome those from the margins, empower those who feel powerless, and reflect the heart of God to a hurting world. When we embody the transformative power of love as advocates for justice, we become agents of change in a world hungry for the justice and light of Christ.

Reimagining the Love of Advent

This Advent season, let’s embark on a journey of reimagining love through the lens of justice and mission. Let’s rediscover the most profound and transformative manifestation of love, first born in a humble stable, by seeing and serving the people in need around us. Ask yourself, ‘who is in my local community that I can be a vessel of divine love to? In what ways can I make a difference to someone around me?’

May this Advent be a season of renewal where love is not only rekindled, but reignited as a force for justice. In the spirit of the season, let us share the love freely given to us, advocate for others, and, in doing so, become beacons of light guiding others to the true source of justice and love—Jesus Christ, the reason for this Advent season. Amen.

We have to recognise that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence.
Never forget that Justice is what Love looks like in public.
You can't serve the people if you don't love the people.

***Cornel West***

About the Author

**Cheryl Nembhard** is a dynamic international speaker, author, podcast/tv host, justice advocate, and certified life coach. She is co-host of 'See, Hear, Love', a nationally televised women's talk show, and host of 'On The Path w/ Cheryl Nembhard', which can be found on YES TV and all podcast platforms. Cheryl is the Director of the Women Speakers Collective and the Founder of ***The Lighthouse Project***, a faith-based, 10-week online emotional healing program. Learn more at **cherylnembhard.com**.

Will You Journey With Us?

Welcome to An Audacious Advent, an 8-week series from Women Speakers Collective.

Each week, we’ll share relevant blog posts, practical social media content, thoughtful reflection questions, practical invitations, and meaningful prayer guides to help you approach this Advent season through a lens of justice and mission.

Join us as we explore the true spirit of Advent, moving from formalities to sweat equity and from conventional comforts to reimagined hope, joy, love, and peace.

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