Today I mourn.
Yes, for the loss of life over the past few days.
Yes, in remembrance of 9/11.
But also—for so much more.
I mourn for the world my grandkids are growing up in.
A world where hatred, bigotry, and division seem to be the norm.
A world where the simplicity of playing in the yard or walking to a friend’s house without fear is no longer a reality.
I mourn for the church.
The divisions within it have been growing for decades, but today it feels as though truth is often ignored, and unity is rare. I grew up in a time when you didn’t know what side of the aisle your fellow church member was on—and it didn’t matter. Today, friendships can barely survive differing views because divisiveness permeates every part of society.
Even in church, success is too often measured by the stage, the lights, and the polish of a service—rather than how love is lived out in daily life. We measure success by numbers, or by how we show up on social media, rather than how we show up at work on Thursday morning.
One of the simplest, clearest Scriptures is John 13:35:
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”
But somehow, the modern interpretation feels more like: “If you believe like I believe.”
Both sides of the aisle throw divisive statements—not with love, but with hostility and pride. Yes, Scripture tells us to speak the truth in love, but I challenge us to look deeper at those two words: “in love.”
Jesus embodied that. He was love.
Love doesn’t mean blind acceptance, but it does mean treating others with dignity and remembering that every person is created in His image.
The only hope for our country—and for the church—is to return to that kind of love. The kind Jesus demonstrated. God help me love as You loved me.
