It's Everyone's World

by Traci Hubbard                            October 19, 2025

All of our humanity is dependent upon recognizing the humanity in others. Alan Watts wrote, “I have been searching for years for that ideal place. And I have come to the realization that the only way to find it is to be it.” Folks, our lives are not our own if we only care about what other people think.

I was thinking about things that are underrated, and one of them is letting people be who they are. Let people mispronounce a word or talk too much about a book or show they love or get excited about something we don’t understand. We don’t have to get it…all we have to do is be kind. Everyone has something that lights them up and we need to let them shine, even when it’s not our thing.

There are people in this life who will cut us open just to see what we are made of…let’s show them that it is love. Marianne Williamson said, “Hate has talked so loudly for so long. Liars have talked so loudly for so long. Love has to stop whispering.” Maya Angelo wrote, “Hate, it has called a lot of problems in the world, but it hasn’t solved one yet.” Humans are free souls and if they cannot color inside the lines, they are free to create new ones. The Good Samaritan had the heart and sight of a divine artist, and he colored outside in ways the religious and political systems decreed could not be crossed and because he did, he saved a man’s life. Many proclaimed Christians have lost the radical message of that first-century Palestinian Jewish rabbi who called us to love so radically that we transform our hearts—even toward our enemies.

Christianity should not be the party of queer oppression, racism, restricted reproductive health, climate denial, unfettered guns or the obliteration of empathy. It should embrace the values of Jesus. By calling ourselves progressive, I believe we are saying that following the way and teachings of Jesus can lead to experiencing sacredness, wholeness and unity of all life, even as we recognize that the Spirit moves in beneficial ways in many faith traditions.

We seek community that is inclusive of all people, honoring differences in theological perspective, age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, class and ability. We strive for peace and justice among all people, knowing that behaving with compassion and selfless love towards one another is the fullest expression of what we believe. We embrace the insights of contemporary science and strive to protect the Earth and ensure its integrity and sustainability; and we commit to a path of life-long learning, believing there is more value in questioning than in absolutes. (Good Faith Media; A Progressive Christian Revolution

by Caleb Lines | Sep 17, 2025 | Opinion)

“Kindness matters, but kindness does not equal justice. Civility counts. But calling for civility is not the humane response to injustice. Justice is.  Love is essential. But love is not a passive weeping by-stander. Love puts in the work.” (Bernice A. King) The actions of the Good Samaritan and Rumi call us to ask ourselves: “Why struggle to open a door between us when the whole wall is an illusion?” On September 19^th, 2025, Pope Leo XIV, speaking to the Diocese of Rome:, said: "I believe it is urgent to establish a pastoral ministry that is supportive, empathetic, discreet, and non-judgmental, welcoming to all, and that offers the most personalized paths possible, suited to the diverse life situations of those receiving it."

Simon Sinek, the most relevant leadership guru among us said, “We don’t trust people to follow the rules. We trust people to know when to break them.” The rules of some societies, cultures, and institutions are intended to control others, not free them to grow.

Folks, we are not finished. We are still co-writing our books, our stories with the Sacred…each breath, a new sentence, each morning, a new page. No matter what the mess, no matter the edits, your story is yours and my story is mine. Unfinished, imperfect, but true in every line.  Race is a story society tells, not nature. Chris Kratzer, a friend, wrote:

To the church of my youth,

What did you expect me to do?

You taught me to love my neighbors, to model the life of Jesus.

To be kind and considerate, and to stand up for the bullied.

You taught me to love people, consider others as more important than myself.

You taught me to sing "red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight."

We sang it together, pressing the volume pedal and leaning our hearts into the chorus.

You said that “He loved all the children of the world”.

You taught me to love my enemies, to even do good to those who wish for bad things.

You taught me to never "hate" anyone and to always find ways to encourage people.

You taught me it's better to give than receive, to be last instead of first.

To help the poor, the widow, the stranger at the gate.

You taught me that Jesus looks at what I do for the least-of-these as the true depth of my faith.

You taught me to focus on my own sin and not to judge.

You taught me to be accepting and forgiving.

So I paid attention.

I took in every lesson.

And I did what you taught me.

But now, you call me a “libtard”.

A queer-lover. You call me "woke."

A backslider. You call me a heretic.

You make fun of my heart.

You mock the people I’m trying to help.

You say I’m a child of the devil.

You call me soft. A snowflake. A socialist.

You shun the very people you told me to help.

What did you expect me to do?

I thought you were serious, but apparently not.

You hate nearly all the people I love.

You stand against nearly all the things I stand for.

I'm trying to see a way forward,

but it's hard when I survey all the hurt, harm, and darkness

that comes in the wake of your beliefs and presence.

What did you expect me to do?

I believed it all the way. I'm still believing it all the way.

Which leaves me wondering, what happened to you?

Folks, “we cannot be the church if choose to overlook some members of the body of Christ. If we define who we are by who we are leaving out, it begs the question: Have we ever let Christ in?” (Bishop Karen Oliveto) We can witness to the reality that a full, flourishing human life includes obligations to children we didn’t birth, elderly who didn’t raise us, and the poor and needy who cannot repay us. Value is something people feel, not something we tell them they can get when they jump through hoops that make us feel comfortable.

At President Obama’s second inauguration, Amanda Gormon said, “We will raise this wounded world into a wonderous one…There is always light if we are brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it.” Our destination is no longer a place, but a new way of seeing. We make our road by walking together. Here we stand today saying to anyone who will listen, “It’s Everyone’s World.” May it be so, amen.