What's the Most Important Thing, Pope?

“All of us have a responsibility, all of us, small or large, a moral responsibility. We have to take it seriously. We can’t joke about it,”  What do you think Pope Francis is talking about?

Racism?

Homosexuality?

Sex Trafficking?

Terrorism?

Global Warming?

Eternal Salvation?

It's difficult to know the way to God when the means to GET God's grace is dependent on our submission to the head of the Roman Catholic Church.  It's difficult to know what to focus on in life when all kinds of voices are telling us that we need to work on and in so many different ways.

If you want to live a life that matters and, by the time your life here is ended, make a significant difference, you must admit your inability to do it on your own and learn from the One who knows it all (and Who cares about it much more than we do!).

Let's take Pope Francis's quote as an example.  He was on his plane talking to reporters about Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.  He was talking about our responsibility in these hurricanes as people who use fossil fuels.

“If we don’t turn back, we will go down,” he says in the same context.  Turn back from what?  Our sin?  Our selfishness?  Our tendency to leave God out of everything?  No, apparently humanity will all "go down" because we have not heeded the right people's advice:

 “You can see the effects of climate change and scientists have clearly said what path we have to follow,” Pope Francis continues to state as he urges humanity to take responsibility for something that, though disturbing and daunting, isn't our greatest concern -- by a long shot!

Now, I know that Pope Francis cares about more than climate change.  I also know that I, as a Christian Pastor in Minnesota, are guilty of muddling the message with unnecessary things at times.  Yet, we always go back to two things that I think are very instructive today, in the wake of hurricane and earthquake and wildfire history.

First, we are not in control.  Even if we have set the atmosphere on fire by our lack of responsible fossil fuel usage, we cannot control things (let alone predict weather accurately - I'm thankful that Hurrican Irma, for instance, missed much of the populated Florida and that human loss was very small).  What do we do when we're not in control?  Fight for it back, give up all together, or choose to submit to One who is in control?

Second, be God's hands and feet in helping those effected by this imperfect world.  From hurricane and earthquake victims to rape and trafficking and abuse victims, those that are called by God (the true Church, worldwide, across denominations and cultures, who have repented of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ), must be one of the first on the scene to share of God's love for them and their true worth - priceless.

Yes, you are priceless, and your soul is more important than our climate change stance or your fossil fuel habits.  Anyone who humbly comes to God will be heard by Him and He will reveal Himself to you and you, then, can heed the instructions of the true head of the church - Jesus Christ.