They Were Always There

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Mother said they were always there. “The difference is that now you are able to see them”, she ended. And indeed, maybe I am a more woke participant to the sufferings of others. But what have my life lessons taught me?... Be of great faith. Be kind to others. ‘Tis better to give than to receive. God don’t like ugly… 

Surely these same values have been imparted to others, right? However, what does it say of our collective failure to embrace these values, when so many have so little? We fail at faith. We fail at love. We fail at giving. It’s a shameful, ugly mess…sometimes. And yet, the spirit of civility, the granting of mercy, and the promise (read purpose) of humanity have been the only things to sustain us. 

I am my best when convicted by thoughtful moments similar to that of the character Peter in the Netflix series A.D. Kingdom & Empire when he says, “I’m afraid I may not be the person Jesus thinks I am.” It’s in those moments when I’m hopeful that my best actions reflect my thoughts. See, like many of you, I don’t want to be guilty of not showing compassion, to the grave disappointment of Christ.

Homelessness, especially in these times of great wealth and continued greed, must be a priority for immediate solution. Though its ravages are magnified by winter weather, the problem of homelessness persists year-round. Therefore, our solutions must be year-round and mitigate every potential for failure. Our hearts and minds are compelled to care. Our actions must be equally matched. And indeed, humanity (and the likes of Auntie Joyce) is counting on us!

And, as my pastor stated in ecclesiastical-elegance this morning, these times call for “a song of hope and a song of grace.”