Dear friends,

What is the role of compassion in conflict?

I’m excited to share my podcast interview on this topic with my courageous friend Emnet Gilbert.

Today many people condemn voices calling for compassion. For example, the popular Ethiopian singer Dishta Gina recently cried out for peace at a concert in Addis Ababa. His courageous message was immediately ridiculed, and he was pressured into giving a tearful apology on television. His sin was simply calling for reconciliation in a time of war.

This week I received yet another death threat for my advocacy for compassion and reconciliation. The man who threatened to “dismember” me has the following banner on his Facebook page: “I’m REDEEMED to be a VICTOR not a VICTIM in any circumstance. Praise the Lord, Jesus Christ!” This is a saddening example of how “Christian” faith can be weaponized to defend violence and death.

In this hyper-polarized time, I deeply admire Emnet’s courage to explore these three challenging questions with me:

1. What does compassion with practical consequences look like in the midst of war?

Dear friends,

November 4th marked the first anniversary of Ethiopia’s devastating civil war. It also brought the answer to a prayer I’ve been praying for the last fourteen years.

This collision of intense grief and long-awaited joy reminded me of the great importance of sustained prayer. This practice has changed my life, and I hope you’ll consider making it part of yours.

It’s a bit like taking a wild leap of faith, twirling through the air, and learning to land on your feet.

How do you pray about people you don’t like? And how are you preparing for conflict or peace in your society?

I believe these two questions are intimately connected and have profoundly practical implications for our lives. Let me try to show you why.

Psalms against the Enemy

If you read straight through the Book of Psalms, it is striking to track how frequently the psalmist talks to God about his enemies.

Out of 150 psalms, “enemies” are mentioned 93 times, “foes” 40 times, and “the wicked” 104 times... Read More

Dear friends,

One of the Bible’s ugliest stories is also one of its most insightful.

The famous King Solomon had recently been installed as the ruler of Israel. Soon after, God spoke to him at night in a dream and invited Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (1 King 3:5).

What an astonishing blank-check offer: “whatever you want.” How would this new ruler respond, and what would it reveal about his deepest desires?

Solomon’s heart was humble, and he admitted to God that he was out of his depth. Rather than asking God for wealth or power or the death of his enemies, Solomon asked God for wisdom. He prayed, “I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties… So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong” (1 Kings 3:7-9).

Solomon’s honest prayer is surprising for an ancient ruler and perhaps counter-cultural for all of us still today: he admits to being small, not knowing what he’s doing, and needing God’s help in the very basics of human community... Read More

Dear friends,

In place of my usual essay, I’m excited to share a 5-minute video celebrating the work of the Neighbor-Love Movement. Click here to watch.

Special thanks to my monthly Stop & Think subscribers who help make this work possible! If you would like to become a partner in this work, please click here.

Yours with gratitude,

Andrew

 .. Read More

Dear friends,

I’m a massive fan of BitterSweetMonthly. This storytelling platform (and more) was founded by my relentless, brilliant friend Kate Schmidgall to “reject cynicism, defy apathy, and celebrate good.” Those three movements are such a challenging, beautiful way of being human. And it’s how Kate lives and what BitterSweet nurtures through its moving stories and beautiful images.

I was deeply honored when Kate asked me to write for BitterSweet, and my first story was recently published. It’s entitled “I Feel Like a Dancer,” and it’s about a truly extraordinary organization called StandProud in the Congo. StandProud is helping disabled youth walk, often for the first time in their lives.

I hope you enjoy the story, subscribe to BitterSweet, and consider supporting StandProud. Writing this story rocked and recentered me. Next time you put your shoes on and stand up, give thanks for this precious gift and remember our beloved neighbors in Congo and around the world who are working to restore the dignity, joy, and power of our disabled neighbors... Read More