July 1, 2025
By Dr. Cindy H. Carr
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
— Micha 6:8 (NIV)
I remember sitting on the hill behind the church, looking out across the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, trying to make sense of the hurt that had settled in my heart. I had just been asked to step away from several pastoral groups I had been part of for many years because of an outreach God had assigned to me. The rejection stung deeply, and I was angry, angry at the people who had shut me out and confused about how being excluded from ministry could possibly be part of God’s plan. As I sat there in that swirl of pain and frustration, I heard His voice. God spoke quietly to my heart and said, “I love them too.” In that instant, everything changed. Those four words softened my anger, began to heal my spirit, and reshaped how I saw others, especially those who had hurt me. That moment reminded me that God’s love is never limited by our divisions. It also stirred a question deep within me: how can we, as people who all love God, see things so differently?
This truth echoes the story in Joshua 5:13–15, when Joshua encounters a man with a drawn sword and asks, “Are you for us or our enemies?” The man, a commander of God’s army, replies, “Neither.” God transcends our categories and agendas. He stands for all people. That realization redefined unity for me, not as agreement which demands sameness, but as a shared purpose rooted in God’s love. It challenges us to hold our convictions while extending grace to others, recognizing that God’s purposes are higher than our own and that His love cannot be confined by our opinions or fears.
History offers many examples of people who embodied this kind of unity. William Wilberforce and Granville Sharp, though different in temperament and theology, worked side by side to abolish the British slave trade in 1807. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marched together at Selma, their shared faith bridging traditions. Billy Graham and King, though distinct in approach, stood together across racial lines. Even Frances Willard and Frederick Douglass, who sometimes disagreed, still supported one another’s causes for women’s rights and racial justice. Each of these relationships reminds us that compassion and conviction are not opposites but partners in the work of love.
We continue to see this spirit of unity in our world today. The gentle friendship between George W. Bush and Michelle Obama, seen in small acts of kindness like sharing candy at a funeral, shows that humanity is stronger than politics. John McCain and Barack Obama, fierce rivals during an election, later demonstrated mutual respect that transcended party lines. After 9/11, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders stood together in New York to denounce hate and bring comfort to the grieving. In 2014, Rick Warren and Elton John sat side by side before Congress to advocate for AIDS relief, their shared compassion shining through. Around the globe, the fight against human trafficking continues to unite people of faith, governments, and organizations that may differ in belief but are joined in purpose.
Living out “I love them too” means choosing a higher way in a world that thrives on division. It calls us to pause, to listen, and to ask, “God, what are You showing me here?” It means holding our beliefs with humility, making sure our words heal rather than wound, and pursuing causes that are greater than our differences. As Dr. Miller taught me, the spiritual life is not about taking sides but about staying awake to God’s presence in every person and every moment. So I return each day to the prayer she shared: “God, what are You doing today, and how can I help?” And I never forget the words that changed everything for me. He loves them too.
— Dr. Cindy H. Carr, D.Min.
Healing Through Compassion Series
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