In a world that feels increasingly off-kilter, many of us are searching for a compass. At The Palms, where we strive to embody unconditional love, justice, and extravagant welcome, we often look to the Gospel to make sense of the noise.
The Bible offers us a subversive kind of wisdom. Consider Jesus of Nazareth: he didn’t attempt to overthrow the Roman Empire with its own weapons. Instead, he saw it for exactly what it was—temporary and fleeting. While the systems of his day were harsh and tyrannical, Jesus knew that every “petulant bully” fears one thing above all: the realization of their own insignificance. The Gospel may not promise us political control, but it offers us something more enduring: clarity and illumination.
So, how do we live out our mission in such times?
- Refuse to surrender your hope. Hopelessness is the fuel of autocracy; joy is an act of resistance.
- Stay tethered to the truth. In an era of misinformation, a commitment to honesty is a holy act.
- Stand with one another. Bullies rely on isolation. When we stand together in “extravagant welcome,” we prove that love is stronger than fear.
We are called to resist not with hate, but with a steady, communal courage that outlasts any earthly power.
Shalom, Paul