I spent several nights in one of the most dangerous places in America. An interesting story, but not really relevant to today’s meditation, except to say that maybe I should have feared for my life, but I didn’t.
Why I tell you this is because we had our neighbors and good friends over for dinner the other night. They are both Jewish, and we asked how they were doing with all that was happening. Their answers have kept me awake for the last few nights. They now fear for their lives. The emotional toll wears on their faces. They have cancelled trips for one reason — fear. It would be a disservice to them to try and summarize their reasons and feelings, but let me say that our conversation and subsequent discussions, have really opened my eyes.
I am not naive. There are other ethnic and racial groups who also live in fear in our country. All over the world people live in fear for their lives, and I wonder why that should or has to be. God sent Jesus to tell us to love our enemies, but somehow that part of his message continues to fall on deaf ears.
I am not a radical who believes that the way to eliminate fear is to destroy liberty or individual rights. I don’t think the solution to fear is for the country to adopt my individual wish list of solutions to gun violence, racism, or poverty. But perhaps we should shift our priorities away from where they are right now until there is not anyone living in fear in the US. How that happens may sound impossible, but remember — “in God, all things are possible.”
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