Composer Dan Schutte wrote, “I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone.”

These words are from one of my favorite hymns, “Here I Am, Lord,” which we sang, processing into All Souls Church in New York City at my ordination several years ago. This hymn is about answering the call of Spirit to serve others. In the chorus, we sing, “Here I am, Lord … I have heard you calling in the night.” These words are based on the Bible stories in which Isaiah and Samuel, at separate times, answered the call to serve God and their communities.

We are all called to serve — young and old, rich or poor, able or differently-abled, educated or self-taught. We are all called regardless of the color of our skin, the roots of our family or the gender we identify with. We are all called — each of us — to share with the world the many gifts, skills, and talents we each have been given. Our gifts are many and varied —  compassion, music, healing, art, writing, speaking, raising children, raising crops, raising buildings — the list is endless. What is important is that we understand that we are called to serve others with these gifts. To turn our backs on this call is to turn our backs on all that we hold sacred.

Sadly, some of us do turn our backs on serving others because we have been hurt, because we have lost our faith in goodness, because we no longer trust that what we do will matter to anyone. Some of us stop listening to the call because the lure of fame, fortune and power deafen us. When we turn away, when we stop listening to the call of our Creator, our hearts turn to stone. Hearts of stone are consumed by hate — for ourselves, for others, and for the world. Hate manifests in many forms — self-abuse, abuse of others, neglect, deceit, oppression, and greed, to name a few.

Hate in any form is like cancer that spreads quickly and virulently through every cell unless it is stopped. Love, compassion, kindness, and peace-filled actions stop hate.

Some people, people who say they have faith, do not live that faith. This has been a problem since before the Gospels were written. Actions speak louder than words! James wrote, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without actions is dead.”

Why aren’t we all out in the world doing the work our Holy Ones asked us to do? Why is it that so many of us are in pain and suffering while those around us seem oblivious to our suffering? Often, we have heard or read stories of how a random act of kindness changed someone’s opinion of another or changed someone’s life because of the lesson they learn about love. We have also been told that people don’t understand until the thing that they hate is given a face they can see. When the word they associate with their hate suddenly becomes a family living on their street, whose children go to school with their child, things can change. They don’t understand until the hate they hold towards others becomes their child. They don’t understand until the hate that consumes them, holds out its hand to lift them up when they have fallen.

Allow me to share a story.

One day, Albert Schweitzer, the famous medical missionary and theologian, came to the University of Chicago as a guest lecturer. After being welcomed at the train station and before his lecture, he noticed a frail, elderly lady dragging her luggage across the platform. Just as his host called him to come to the microphone for the interview, Dr. Schweitzer walked away, pushed his way through the crowd, and asked the lady if she would allow him to help carry her luggage.

After he helped the elderly lady, Dr. Schweitzer returned to the microphone and said, “We are put on this earth to help each other, especially those who are weak and frail; all the honors in the world mean nothing if we fail to care for the least of these.”

In these turbulent times, let us all open our hearts to love. Let us look for that love in the eyes of those we meet, especially the weak and frail. Let us look for that love in all, regardless of color, gender, nationality, political or sexual orientation. Let us all share the love we have with all who cross our path, knowing that love is infinite — the more we share it, the more we have to share. Let us be fearless in our sharing, fearless in our actions, fearless in our faith, and fearless in our acceptance of others. Our strength lies within thanks to the Grace — the Amazing Grace — that the Holy Spirit brings us. Let us call on the Divine, by whatever name we use, to help us in our fearless resistance to hate and our dedicated actions towards peace, equity and inclusion.

Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas is an ordained interfaith minister. She graduated from The New Seminary in New York City with a Master of Theology and is now studying for her Doctor of Theology degree. She often fills the pulpit in local Franklin County churches. She maintains an international, online ministry through Facebook.