Thriving Through Trials

As a Christian, I have reflected about the hope that comes from Jesus’ death and resurrection since I was a young man. This year, however, my attention was captured by another aspect of Jesus’ life on Earth.

It is the only moment in the Gospels where we see Jesus forcefully disrupt what people had come to accept as normal. In the temple, there was an outer area designed to be open to everyone, including foreigners and those who did not follow Jewish traditions, a place where all people could come, reflect, and seek God. But this space had been turned into a busy marketplace. In the eyes of the religious leaders, profit, order, and control had taken priority over the original purpose of that space. Convenience had replaced calling. And Jesus refused to accept it.

His anger was not reckless; it was purposeful. He was reclaiming a space that was meant to be open and welcoming to all people, especially those often left on the margins. From the very beginning, the heart of his message was inclusive, reaching beyond boundaries and inviting everyone in. Without that, the meaning of his life and sacrifice would be diminished. It was always meant to be for everyone.

Today, the story feels familiar. Nations still struggle to welcome the stranger. The justifications sound reasonable. There is not enough money. There are other priorities. The cost feels too high. Yet underneath it all is the same tension, choosing comfort over God’s design.

Still, there are people who choose differently. People who create space, who stand for justice, who walk with refugees and the persecuted even when it costs them something. They are often misunderstood and resisted, yet they continue. Because they know that making room for others is close to the heart of God.

To all of you who have done this, quietly or boldly, thank you. Your kindness, your courage, your willingness to see the stranger as family carries the true meaning of Easter.

I write this not from a distance, but as one who has had to run for standing with refugees. I have seen the cost. I have felt the fear. Yet I have also seen the power of those who refuse to close the door.

There is no Easter if the least are left out. Resurrection hope must reach the persecuted, the displaced, the forgotten.

May God honor every act of love you show. And may we all keep making room until every nation finds its place.