Woke up this morning thinking about the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Another shooting. Another place of safety violated. Another community rocked to its core. More families in pain and grief.

Yesterday, before a funeral, a church member came up to ask if I had heard about the shooting. He asked me, “What is wrong with our world?”

What is wrong with our world?
I’ve thought about that
… a lot.

So here it is. In a nutshell, this is what is wrong with our world: us versus them. The belief that the “other” — ethnic group, nationality, religion, party affiliation, gender, whatever — the belief that “they” are somehow less than “us.”

There is no them.
Only us.

Because we are ALL messed up, broken people, just trying to live in this messed up, broken world. And, at the same time, we are ALL beloved children of God… the God who finds actions like this shooting appalling and heartbreaking.

So…
Fight Hate. Live Love.
And don’t stop.

May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26)