The world is on fire. Literally and figuratively. This isn’t a future problem; this is a NOW problem. People are literally being told they aren’t valuable, they are replaceable, they are trash. Our “leaders” are making changes that benefit only themselves and people that look and speak like them. Everything they are doing hurts people. And in the name of God??? Blasphemy. Absolute blasphemy.

None of the actions that are fueled by hatred are of God. We do not serve a God of hatred, of bias, of limited love. We have a God who has made ALL of the people on this earth. We serve a God who LOVES all of the people on this earth. There is no way, absolutely no way that God would want their people to suffer in these ways, to be sent in harm’s way, to be harassed and criticized for who they were made to be.

My friends, it is not the time to sit down and watch the storm. It is not time to pop the popcorn and let others fight. It is time to stand up and use our voices, use our privilege to share the Gospel of Jesus. The Gospel that invites everyone to the table. Where Jesus goes to the margins to meet people where they are at. Where all are seen, and all are loved.

Scary? Yes. But not as scary as being someone whose life is literally at risk because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, the country they were born in, who they love, or how they identify. Not as scary as having one’s livelihood stripped from them, their access denied into society, their name being erased from our records. We need to step into the scary so other people’s lives can be less scary. So other people’s voices can be amplified through our megaphones. Because Jesus calls us to. Simple as that.

The time is now. The earth is on fire. This is real.

*Amanda Ruthe.