Misery

Matthew 23:33 – “You serpents, you brood of vipers; how are you going to escape being sentenced to the place of misery?”

The place of misery. In Greek, Gehenna. The place where infants were sacrificed to idols. The place of wailing and gnashing of teeth.

You know who’s there now? The refugees whom our government separated from their children. The children being kept in cages inside detention centers. The children who’ve been flown hundreds or thousands of miles away. The parents who were deported without their children. The children too young to understand what’s happening. The children not allowed any comfort or to comfort others.

The scribes and the Pharisees that Jesus is addressing in this verse are also in misery. Those who support separating refugee children from their parents are also in misery. Their misery creates misery for their scapegoats as well as the rest of us. And it is not going away. They are stalling in trying to get these families reunited. They had no plan of reunification in the first place. The misery continues and is growing.

Do you feel helpless about this? I do. So, today I want to focus on doing what I can: love. We as Christians believe God is love. Let’s love God today by being grateful for what we have. Let’s remember to love ourselves, whether that means stopping negative self-talk or making a doctor’s appointment. Let’s make sure we love our neighbors, those around us. Not just those living near us, but all those we meet today. Whether we meet them in person, by email or text, by phone, or by letter, they are our neighbors, too. Those children in those detention centers are our neighbors as well. Those who put them there are our neighbors. We may not have enough room in our hearts for those causing all this misery, (I don’t) but we can start where it’s easy and grow from there.

Donating to organizations dedicated to helping these families is an act of love. Working to make your communities safer is an act of love. Listening to and believing people whose oppression or persecution are not part of our experience is an act of love. Sharing what we learn about the systemic and institutionalized nature of racism with others is a loving act. Making a habit of loving where we can make a difference. Today, tomorrow, and the days after. Love.