Beginnings are usually filled with hope for a better day, positive thoughts, and intentional good change. And that’s how many of us welcomed 2021, hoping for something much better than what 2020 had brought us, only to be harshly disappointed during our first week. We woke up to a 2021 tainted with loss of health, life, and employment due to a pandemic that has haunted us and our loved ones for nearly a year. We woke up to hungry families, blatant racism expressed in violent ways, slower COVID vaccination rates than we first thought, and deadly riots that shocked our nation and threatened our democracy.

How can we respond?

We pray for our family, community, nation, and leaders.

We respect the opinions of others, as long as those opinions are not filled with hate that results in disrespect, violence, destruction, and harm to lives.

We continue to respectfully stand up for truth and for those who cannot stand for themselves.

And above all things:

We love! We love others in practical ways - with our daily calls and texts, words of affirmation, employment if we can offer it, food if needed, financial gifts when possible, advocacy, strength in the presence of bullying, and sharing our best with them, Jesus and His words of grace, mercy, and hope for times such as these.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that times of need, hurt, hopelessness, and transition, present a great opportunity to bless people who are different. Even if they bug us, let’s not waste this opportunity.

by Jose Cortes Jr.