"Jesus is King. God is over all. He is bigger and stronger than this election cycle, than this season of congress, than this moment in our nation's story and we are a part of an ancient people that stretch back thousands of years, long before america and democracy were even a thing, and stretch forward to the return of Jesus to make all things new. and we care about our country, we feel an acute pain right now for the turmoil in it, but we at the same time belong to another King and to another Kingdom. and our hope is not grounded in the candidate or a political party or an ideology of right or left or even in democracy as a form of government. our hope is grounded in Jesus and His inbreaking kingdom now and not yet. Jesus is King over all.
as followers of Jesus we are called to be people of peace, not of fear and anxiety and paranoia, not that that isn't legitimate for some people who are right now are waking up scared, but we are called to be people of peace. our city so badly needs people of peace. your office, your classroom, your neighborhood, your coffee shop, your gym needs people of peace. be the people of peace.
we have to stand up as the multiracial people of God on the side of justice and advocate and not stop until we see healing in that area. now is a time to listen to people of color. sit down for a cup of coffee with a black or brown brother or sister in our church or an immigrant in our church and just say "will you tell me your felt experience" and just listen. shut up and just listen. and don't argue, don't debate, don't agree or disagree, just listen. and be there as a brother or sister when people are ready to talk about it.
we need right now to be the people of Jesus more than ever in our cities. we have to step up. not that we're the answer to the problem, we're part of the problem, but we need to step up in a time of toxic anger, blame-shifting, refusal to even listen to the other side of the conversation, racism, bigotry, greed, fear, paranoia, anxiety, violence, rioting in the streets... in that time, we need to embody the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control... man, do we need that right now. we are bound together not by political ideology. we are bound together by the death and the burial and the resurrection of Jesus of nazareth. so we need to be a family, we need to be a safe place, and in this cultural climate of fear we need to put on display peace, of hate- we need to put on display love, of racism- we need to work the multiracial family of God, of bigotry- toward a humility and a care and concern for the poor, in a fear of the stranger, of the immigrant- we need to welcome the stranger regardless of skin color or religion in the name of Jesus of nazareth. we need more than ever to be the people of Jesus."
john mark comer
(see also: my friend sam's desperately needed words HERE)
as followers of Jesus we are called to be people of peace, not of fear and anxiety and paranoia, not that that isn't legitimate for some people who are right now are waking up scared, but we are called to be people of peace. our city so badly needs people of peace. your office, your classroom, your neighborhood, your coffee shop, your gym needs people of peace. be the people of peace.
we have to stand up as the multiracial people of God on the side of justice and advocate and not stop until we see healing in that area. now is a time to listen to people of color. sit down for a cup of coffee with a black or brown brother or sister in our church or an immigrant in our church and just say "will you tell me your felt experience" and just listen. shut up and just listen. and don't argue, don't debate, don't agree or disagree, just listen. and be there as a brother or sister when people are ready to talk about it.
we need right now to be the people of Jesus more than ever in our cities. we have to step up. not that we're the answer to the problem, we're part of the problem, but we need to step up in a time of toxic anger, blame-shifting, refusal to even listen to the other side of the conversation, racism, bigotry, greed, fear, paranoia, anxiety, violence, rioting in the streets... in that time, we need to embody the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control... man, do we need that right now. we are bound together not by political ideology. we are bound together by the death and the burial and the resurrection of Jesus of nazareth. so we need to be a family, we need to be a safe place, and in this cultural climate of fear we need to put on display peace, of hate- we need to put on display love, of racism- we need to work the multiracial family of God, of bigotry- toward a humility and a care and concern for the poor, in a fear of the stranger, of the immigrant- we need to welcome the stranger regardless of skin color or religion in the name of Jesus of nazareth. we need more than ever to be the people of Jesus."
john mark comer
(see also: my friend sam's desperately needed words HERE)
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