Jesus walks among us
healing the broken with his tired hands
rolling his eyes at those who use his name
to justify their arrogant agenda

He came to earth 
as a sacrifice of love
to teach and connect us 
to the reason we were made

Jesus said,
love your neighbor
feed my sheep 
let the children come to me
He did not say,
love your neighbor who looks like you
or
feed the sheep who eat from your hands
or
only let the Christian children approach me

if you really look around
you will see Jesus
washing the feet of the homeless man
whose addiction has driven him 
to the dirty streets 
to beg for change

you will see Him
carrying the tired children
of the immigrant mother 
across the desert
in search of safety
and a livable wage to support her family

you will see Her
listening deeply and holding the hand
of the teenage boy
who has been bullied 
and disowned by his own family
for who he chooses to love

you will see Him 
marching through the streets
to protest the brutal death
of a young, black man
who was stopped on the side of the road
for speeding

you will see Jesus
adopting the children
who were born unwanted
and left in a system
of broken promises
and neglect

you will see Her
praying with the displaced, 
starving and injured
refugees of war
bringing comfort to hurting people
regardless of their country or faith
 
these are the neighbors,
the sheep
and the children
of whom Jesus spoke

He walks among us using our hands and feet