Suffer the Little Children

jesus loves the little children,

all the children of the world.

red and yellow, black and white,

they are precious in his sight.

jesus love the little children of the world.

so goes the children's song so many of us learned in sunday school.  do those who scream hateful slogans at busloads of children from central america think of the words of that song during their protests?  do they think of the ordeal these children have gone through to reach the usa or the children's violence-filled lives in the countries they fled?

when jesus said, "when you do this to the least of these, my children, you do this to me," there was no exception for unaccompanied minors from central america.  refusing to treat these refugees humanely and to provide them sanctuary is ignoring the teachings of jesus.  when we say that what's happening in their home countries is not our problem, we are wrong.  injustice anywhere is our problem, it is the problem of every human being, especially those in a privileged society like ours.  when we say that we can't take care of all these children because we can't even take care of those in need in our country already, we are wrong.  the fact is that we choose not to use the abundant resources in our country to take care of those in need, but in this wealthy nation there are adequate resources to care for those who are unable to care for themselves.

may we see this crisis for what it is: a test of our national character and our humanity, a call to gain our lives by losing them in service.  may we abandon political expediency and the clamor for the easy solution of loading these children on planes and dumping them back in their home countries.  may we listen to the words of jesus, take up our cross, and follow him.  shalom