Which brings me to saying something which is important to me. While I understand in far too many cases people in this country who claim to be Christians do not act like Jesus, I am a Christian and I do try to act like someone who wants to do what Jesus said - love all others and be there to help those in need. Yes, these are the things Jesus told those who follow Him to do. He spoke out forcefully when He was on this Earth against religious leaders who burdened people with rules and who took money from them to make themselves rich. But, He didn't speak harshly against everyday people. He talked about how He wanted His followers to love all others, help those in need, be there for others, and He did these things Himself. The first four Books in the New Testament are filled with accounts of how Jesus healed and helped everyday people.
Today far too many people who call themselves Christian sound nothing at all like Jesus, but there are some who do - such as the Episcopal bishop of Washington who directly confronted trump while he and vance attended a prayer service a year ago after the inauguration (it seems like it has been much, much longer than just a year since this happened), when she said, "Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you. And as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now, There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives. The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals, they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land." Yes, this is what a Christian should sound like! This is how we should live, especially if we claim to be a Christian, and it is what we need to model and teach to the ones we love.
I hope you are able to find a church in your area which has people like this in it - I'd recommend trying Free Methodist, Lutheran, or Episcopalian churches. If you find a church which actually does what Jesus said, then you will find people who will love, accept, and stand with and behind you - and at all times, but especially during times like these, we need all the people around us we are able to find.
I do want to say, I believe God is real and I absolutely believe He loves you. I don't want to push my faith on you, but I do want to try to encourage you with the truth of how very much God loves you, because He absolutely does loves you. This faith is something which is able to bring peace to us and help us have the strength we need for each day. I want to be remembered for - loving all others - especially in times as difficult as the ones in which we are currently living.
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