A CALL TO LOVE

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES

I usually write in the evenings, after my day has taught me a lesson or brought a thought to my mind. But this morning, shortly after 6:00 a.m., I knew what I should discuss in this journal entry.


We live in a world marked by chaos. The news shows it — and I watch the news frequently, perhaps a bit too much at times. Despite this uncertainty, we have a moral obligation as God's hands and feet to look beyond it.


We must seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. We must continue caring for the least of these living among us so that they might be fed, clothed, housed, and otherwise cared for.


This is not optional work; it is sacred work. And often, it is quiet work. It will not always be praised or even noticed. It may not gather likes or shares. But it matters deeply.


When we step into that kind of service, we reflect the heart of Christ, who did not turn away from the hurting, the outcast, or the forgotten.


What we do with our time, resources, and influence tells the truth about what we value. In an unruly world, it is easy to become entangled in distractions and chase security, applause, or simply a sense of control.


But those things fade. The only investments that hold weight beyond this life are the ones rooted in love.


So today, before the sun had fully risen, I found myself praying a simple prayer: "Lord, help me to love well." Not only in theory or in public but in the quiet corners of my day: when no one is watching, when it is inconvenient, and when it costs me something.


That may be the invitation for all of us. To rise each day with a heart that asks, "How can I serve today? Who can I show up for?" Because even in the chaos, goodness remains possible. And it is not only possible — it is required.


"Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God." — Micah 6:8

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