I Just Don’t Know

I saw the picture of a little boy whose life ended in water, a failed attempt by his refugee family to find a place of openness. He was the same size as my Timmy. And I cried for him, for orphans in Africa, for little boys and girls in the States who will not get dinner tonight.

And I just don’t know how to help them.

I see stories about sex traffickers, wild tales of ‘almost’ abductions. But underneath the fear-mongering Facebook “accounts,” there are real women, real men, real little children who, tonight, will be stolen, raped, used, traded, and left feeling less-than, damaged, unloved, unlovable.

And I don’t know how to save them.

I read the headlines about a woman refusing to issue marriage licenses. She’s in jail over it. Part of me thinks that, if she’s in government, she should do her job or quit her job if she can’t. But part of me wonders why she should have to make that choice. Why can’t she do her job AND disagree with our new legal reality.

And I just don’t know how to respond.

I see the posts attacking anyone who posts or says anywhere something that ‘offends’ on gender issues. I see the story of one child whose use of a locker room is causing dozens of children distress. None of them are happy. I see coming the reality that pastors and churches will be forced to choose between saying “we approve” and losing tax exempt status and christian universities will be threatened with the loss of accreditation for refusing to hire gay faculty.

And I don’t know how to show compassion AND tell the truth. I don’t know how to balance the rights of every person who are ALL made in God’s image. I just don’t know.

I have friends and family members who are cops. And I have friends who are black. And what about Hispanics? Somalis? Immigrants? Amish? Muslim?

I don’t know why it has to be one or the other. Why can’t it be both…and? Why can’t it be ALL and YES?

I see my kids who have so much and who are oblivious to the depth of needs around them. I see all that my family has been blessed with. I know there are margins, fringes, where people need to know that Jesus loves them.

I just don’t know how to go there, give more, find my path.

I just don’t know. I don’t know the answers. I don’t know how to love people. I don’t know how to fix it. I have no answers, but I’m willing to dialogue. I have no solutions, but I will listen to the stories. I cannot stop the disagreements. And I cannot agree with lies. I abhor poor arguments and inconsistent logic. But I want to learn to see people, not statements.

And I want to see Jesus, be like Jesus, bring more of Jesus.

I just don’t know how.

Please follow and like us: