Siblings

The most challenging belief I hold is: that you,
And I, and the person slowing on the on ramp,
And the child in the dump looking for food,
And the woman sleeping under the bridge,
And the teenager behind bars for their choices,
And the people owned by my ancestors,
And the ancestors who owned people,
And the rainbow clad reveler,
And the saluting nazi,
Are all children of the same Divine Parents

Challenging because, what am I to do with it?
How do I really observe it?
How do I help others believe it?
How do I wrestle with the ways my siblings are treated?
How do I wrestle with the ways my siblings treat each other?
How do I love my enemies?
How do I love those who hate?
How do I care for those who are hated?
How do I protect those who need protection?
How should it change the things I do?
Where are the boundaries of these responsibilities?

The most difficult thing to do is to live it
To do what I can
To grant myself grace when I can’t
To give what I can to those who need
To seek those who need love
To hold hands, give hugs, and shed tears
To empathize deeply
To not become jaded
To feed those who hunger
To shelter the unsheltered
To stand with the lonely
To embrace the sorrowful
To care for those I hurt
To love those I disagree with
For in these things I find God