There Are a Lot of Crosses in the World

Eugene Peterson once reflected on the many crosses he and his wife had in their home. When asked about them, he said, “They remind me that there are crosses everywhere [that is, there is violence and injustice everywhere] and… I want to do something about that.”

That line has been living in my heart lately.

Every time I turn on the news, I see what he meant.  Families taken from their homes without cause or compassion. Children growing up in fear. Violence that keeps showing up in spaces that should be sacred. Division that hardens hearts. Grief that lingers.

There are a lot of crosses in the world.

And not just in faraway places—we see them right here. I’ve seen them. You’ve likely seen them too. A friend navigating a painful diagnosis. A neighbor overwhelmed by loss. A system that favors some while forgetting others. Sometimes it feels like we carry a few of those crosses ourselves.

It would be easy to look away. To stay comfortable. To stay silent.

But we follow a Savior who did the opposite. Jesus didn’t avoid the cross—he carried it. He stepped into the suffering of this world and made it his mission to redeem it, not from a distance, but up close. He stood with the brokenhearted, welcomed the forgotten, and gave his life in love.

That same calling is ours.

Peterson’s words challenge me, and maybe they challenge you too: There are crosses everywhere… and I want to do something about that.

I want my faith to look like compassion that doesn’t wait for permission. I want my life to reflect the justice, mercy, and courage of Jesus. And I want that for you, too—for all of us who claim to follow Jesus who turned the cross into a sign of hope.

So I’m inviting you to join me in this...

Look around this next week. Notice the crosses—those moments of pain, injustice, or need. Don’t look away. Don’t rush past them. Ask what God might be calling you to do, even if it’s something small. A kind word. A bold stand. A generous gift. A prayer that leads to action.

There are a lot of crosses in the world.

Let’s be people who do something about them.

See you Sunday!

Peace, Pastor Tracy