I'm With You.

I wore a safety pin today. One of my kids at school asked me about it. So I told him I am wearing it so people know I'm a safe person to talk to. A while later his friend noticed it and asked me. Instead of me having to be the one to explain, the first child said, "It's so people know she's safe to talk to." They are three and four. They get it. They get that people might not feel safe so they need to know who is ok to talk to, and who is going to stand with them.

I was humbled by this four year old responding to his friend so quickly and matter-of-factly. It was so sweet, but it also made me sad. We live in a world where children witness violence, hatred and discrimination every single day. Kids humble me because they not only see and understand more than we give them credit for, but they see and speak truth. They see good in people when the world seems to be falling apart. My prayer is that kids will always see the good in all people. No matter what. Period. End of story.

I am broken right now. I am shocked, saddened and infuriated by the rise in hate crimes. I am appalled by the division in our country in a time we need unity. And I'm proud of the people I know who are standing up for the marginalized, the abused, the hated - the same ones Jesus would be loving the heck out of if He were here walking with us today. Jesus talks about loving the poor. He talks about loving the oppressed. He broke social norms and used His power and His love to attract and to welcome the marginalized. He sat with the tax collectors and the prostitutes. He seeks and He saves those who are lost. He extends grace. He loves the unloved and the unlovable. One of my absolute favorite passages in the Bible is Matthew 25:31-46:

“31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

You guys, God isn't asking us to only support and be there for and love those who look exactly like us. He calls us to love all. To love the least of these. He calls us to love the ones who are deemed by society as unlovable. So that's what I will do. I am wearing a safety pin because Jesus asks me to love those who are cast out by society. I am wearing a safety pin because there are people who have never experienced the unimaginable, powerful, amazing love of Jesus because the Christians they have met are judgmental, and make them feel as if they are unwelcome and unwanted in the Kingdom God invites all who believe in Him to enter. I am wearing a safety pin so I can share the same Gospel I love and believe with everyone not necessarily only by the words I speak, but by the actions I take and the way that I love people wholeheartedly.

I can't stop there though. Wearing a safety pin is not enough.

I will speak up when I see discrimination. I will stand up for those being discriminated against. I won't tolerate it.

I will speak up when I see abuse. I will stand up for those being abused - emotionally, verbally, physically and sexually. I won't tolerate it.

I will speak up against hatred. I will stand up for those who are hated. I won't tolerate it.

I will speak up against the stigma surrounding mental health. I will stand up for those experiencing all different types of mental health struggles. I won't tolerate people disregarding the struggle.

I will be silent so that when you need to be heard, you have a safe place to talk. I refuse to laugh at you when you cry, brush it off as if it's no big deal, tell you to suck it up, but will cry with you, affirm your feelings, and ask you how I can support you. I will love you relentlessly.

I was born into white privilege. I probably will never understand exactly what you are going through. I am a Christian. I may not agree with everything you believe or think. I am straight. I may not agree with or live your lifestyle. But I will not judge you if you come to me. I will not make you feel like less than you are because of who you are. If my two little three and four year olds can get it, maybe some other people can too.