Many people including myself experienced the inconvenience of today’s Climate Protests that disrupted much of downtown Washington, DC. In fact, I had to turn around and head back to Northern Virginia, because climate protestors blocked traffic around bridges and major intersections in the city. My initial feelings of frustration at the inconvenient change in my schedule soon turned to gratitude for those who cared enough about the devastations of climate change to put their bodies on the line in non-violent civil disobedience. My mind and heart quickly made the connection between these predominantly young activists and the equally young activists who put their bodies on the line 50-60 years ago during the various campaigns of the modern civil rights era. Over the last few weeks, perhaps the most famous climate activist is the Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg. Earlier today she made an impassioned plea at the UN Climate Summit in New York. A short excerpt from her speech is posted below. Also posted below are two other short videos that lift up the witnesses of two young women during the civil rights movement – Diane Nash and Joan Trumpauer Mulholland both of whom risked their lives for racial justice. I encourage you to take a few minutes to view each of these videos. Together they remind us of the kind of commitment to love and justice that can truly change the world. Today’s inconvenient commute left me with a question that I want to share with you, How is God calling me (you) to live out commitment to God’s love and justice for all people?
