The other day I stopped at our library to pick up a book on hold. What started as a simple errand ended with tears streaming down my face. You see, our library is located downtown, with a green lawn next door, public pool, and playground sitting right across the street. In non-pandemic life, this area is generally full of life, kids’ laughter, community connections, events, and gatherings. But COVID has taken that this year. The pool, once busy all summer, remained closed, except for a few days each week where it opens to allow homeless friends to use the showers. Outside sits a porta-potty. With community centers and other public spaces closed there is limited access to restrooms for those living on the streets. The library, once the center of community events and a safe hangout for kids, teens, and adults alike, is open with only limited access, lingering is not an option. The green lawn once filled with laughter now houses sleeping bags and the few belongings of those with no other place to go.
As I walked from the car to the library, I could feel the weight of this current reality, heavy on my heart. By the time I made it back to the car, real tears were streaming down my face. Another issue once easily ignored, now stands loud and clear in front of me. The world is broken and hurting, too many needs to count. As I drove away, the song “Jesus, Friend of Sinners” by Casting Crowns played in my head. “Break our heart for what breaks yours.” How can our hearts not be broken these days?
This space is held as a place for hope-filled words, a space to encourage us to travel well on our journey through this beautiful life. Rarely do I speak on politics or topics that open the door for debate. My heart desires to lift others up, unify not divide, and many issues these days quickly divide us. Yet we can not deny that to live well in this journey we must wrestle with some difficult things. We have all grieved much in this season, and while we do not want to ignore our personal grief, we can not stop and only focus there. We must engage this world beyond the doors of our own homes.
No one knows what we are for, only what we are against.
Casting Crowns – Song Jesus, Friend of Sinners
Watch political ads, and it’s easy to identify what a candidate stands against but challenging to know what they stand for. The same can be said for individuals as we scroll social media debates. We know what the problems are, but few practical solutions are shared in return. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining.” It feels as if there is a lot of whining these days. It’s easy to get caught up in debates and overwhelmed by what we can’t change. But what if we spent more time thinking about what we can influence? Maybe we can’t fix the world, but we can make a difference. We have a voice in our vote. Complaining on social media without contacting lawmakers to share your concern or voting to enact change is simply whining. Maybe we can change the narrative to allow people to know us by what we stand for?
Let our hearts be led by mercy.
Casting Crowns – Song Jesus, Friend of Sinners
Mercy means to have compassion or offer forgiveness. Often shown toward someone whom it is within our power to punish or harm. When we think of having a heart-led by mercy, think of approaching life with compassion and forgiveness towards others. We tell ourselves our own messes are too big to have the capacity to help others. Or we hold on unwilling to forgive because forgiveness has not been earned. While it is essential not to neglect our own hard stories, sometimes our best healing comes when we reach outside ourselves. Or forgiving not for the sake of the other but for our own hearts. It can feel overwhelming and difficult to think beyond just surviving our day, especially when we are emotionally depleted. Yet, staying in that place does not lead to a life well-lived. If we are emotionally unable to volunteer, we can share what resources we have with others. If our resources are limited, perhaps we can share our time. We do not have to have unlimited resources to hand out water bottles or masks to the homeless or donate a few dollars to the food bank or take old blankets to the local humane society. How can our hearts be led by mercy and our mercy lead us to act?
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Casting Crowns – Song Jesus, Friend of Sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours
Changing the world for the better starts one person at a time. It starts when we begin to see the issues before us, not as issues but as people. People just like us. Regardless of topics in a long list, racial injustice, human trafficking, poverty to homelessness, immigration reform, or health care issues. These are not just causes for debate or political gain. Behind each issue there live real people, people just like us.
We may not have the capacity to fight for every cause, speak into every issue, or change the world. But let’s not allow that to stop us from doing anything. Let’s listen to our hearts, notice what makes them ache, and let that drive us to action. Even if it’s just small acts in our community. It matters.
Jesus Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns https://youtu.be/BY6VAy9y_iQ
