By Ron Sinclair

“Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world.

Red, brown, yellow black or white

They are precious in his sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

I grew up with this song, and with so many others that taught me that every person on earth is important in God’s eyes. God loves us all equally. I am no better loved or less loved than any other person. We all carry the light of God within us whether we want it or not. We are all precious.

Jesus taught us that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Who is our neighbor? Everyone is our neighbor. We are to be the Good Samaritan. We are to take care of the widow, the orphan, the beggar on the street. We are to help those who cannot help themselves.

We are to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, but even more, go so far as to invite them in. We are to give clothes to those who need them, take care of the sick and visit those in prison. We are to forgive seventy times seven.

We are to be the eyes, the hands, heart, feet and compassion of Jesus in this world. We are to serve others instead of seeking to gain power over all.

The Jesus I know offers love and the promise of hope for the future.

This is the Jesus I know. This is the Jesus I try my best to follow.

I do not know the Jesus who loves America more than any other nation. I do not know the Jesus who thrives on power and offers victory over those we say are our enemies. I do not know the Jesus who builds huge walls on our borders and declares that all who look different from me are evil. I do not know the Jesus who blesses war at all, much less war as first choice in conflict resolution.

I do not know the Jesus who condones treatment of our homeless brothers and sisters as criminals. I do not know the Jesus who denies healthcare for the sick because it is too expensive. I do not know the Jesus who says that people who do things to put themselves at risk should not expect adequate healthcare when their behaviors come home to roost.

I do not know the Jesus that places entire families in prisons, much less separates children from their parents in those prisons. I do not know the Jesus who says it is okay for those in prison to be treated inhumanely for any reason. And I do not know the Jesus who sends away asylum seekers and refugees instead of offering them sanctuary from the storms they are fleeing.

I do not know the Jesus who denies aid to anyone who needs it; who counts the cost of aid as too great; who turns the hungry away instead of building a bigger table; who takes from the poor to give to the rich.

I do not know the Jesus who tells us to turn our heads and close our eyes when we see evil, especially evil done in his name. The Jesus I know turned over tables in the temple.

See, I was taught that in God’s eyes and heart, we are all God’s children. All the children of the world. Red, brown, yellow, black or white, we are all precious in his sight.

Jesus taught us to pray: “Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be THY name, THY kingdom come, THY will be done ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN…”

Everyone who prays this prayer must do so with the understanding that WE are called to bring God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. What we are living doesn’t look like god’s kingdom to me.

Christ has no body now but ours, no hands but ours, no feet but ours, no voice but ours. WE are called to serve with compassion.

Our elected leadership likes to call us a Christian nation.

I beg to differ. And I must ask, which Jesus do we follow?

Lord, forgive us.

Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy)

Christe eleison (Christ have mercy)

Kyrie eleison. (Lord, have mercy)

Other essays by Ron Sinclair on the Appalachian Chronicle

Benevolent Larceny

The Church

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Lists

Kindness

Patriotism and Dissent

© Ron Sinclair, June 2026