Galatians 5:13-14

When I think of this passage of scripture from Paul’s letter to the Galatian Churches, I am reminded how important it is that we model the essence of the Kingdom through service to one another. Using our abilities and freedom to serve one another in love rather than to tear each other down. And given the political climate of the day, the latter seems to be the opium of choice to get some people through their own pain, hurt and insecurities.

However, what we are witnessing in Southern California as a result of the Eaton and Palisades fire is the former, people using their freedom to serve one another realizing that love is a greater force than hate, to reference MLK Jr.

On the morning of January 9th, I witnessed firsthand the work of people seeing and loving their neighbor as themselves.

As I was driving to Altadena to check on my house, I received a text message asking me if I could check on another neighbor’s house and to send a photo. As I stepped out of my vehicle to take a photo of a home that had been decimated by fire, all but a corner section of the garage, I began to snap away. And right in the process of taking the photo, the last portion of the garage began to erupt in flames. I was stunned because I thought all that could burn did burn and with the winds that had died down, the worst would be over.

In my peripheral vision, I saw another guy taking a photo of the carnage as well. We both were stunned to see the fire start up again! We instinctively wanted to jump into action, run to the house next door that had not been touched by fire at all, and try to see how we could put out this garage fire. But there was something in us that was hesitant for we did not want to go onto someone else’s property looking for water in fear of being seen as looters. But swiftly the owner of the property showed up. And what happened next, I can only explain as divine.

Once the homeowner showed up, we rushed to the backyard, we realized there was no water to use a garden hose, but there was a swimming pool. A pool that looked as if the water was completely black from all of the fire and smoke from the previous night. In an instant, another neighbor showed up with these orange Home Depot buckets, and when I took a scoop of water out of that pool and began to hurl the water over a brick wall onto the garage, at least 8-10 more people were there with buckets scooping out water. They formed an assembly line and we all went to work for the next 30 minutes trying to put this fire out until the fire department showed up.

I had never met these people before! But at that moment, we all understood that “This was our house!” Not literally, but if you understood how fire worked that week, indiscriminately destroying homes at will, you understood that it could be my house next if it hadn’t already. In that moment, we saw our neighbor as ourselves. We moved in such synchronized motion as if we all had some sort of formal training. It was the most diverse group working to put out this fire in order to prevent it from spreading to the house next door and beyond. In that moment, I got a glimpse into what it looks like to become one with perfect strangers, a moment that was not foiled by the judgment of political affiliation, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. We were one group of people working to put the fire out on our house. At that moment, the question of “Who is your neighbor?” was answered with a resounding, everyone in need is my neighbor!

We continued to work tirelessly until the fire department arrived to finish what we could not. Till this day, I cannot remember the people’s names, where they had lived, I just know that we were all neighbors who acted in love to ensure that our neighbor’s house did not burn. Our combined effort worked, and we were all better for it. Oneness is a feeling you will never forget. And we must take that same approach in fighting other fires that threaten our communities.

Since that experience, I have realized that there are still fires to be put out! We are called to come together to fight the fires of injustice, the fires of dehumanization, racism, hopelessness, and despair with our actions, resources, and with our prayers.

This Black History Month, let us honor the history of our past, where believers of every walk of life have come together to alleviate the burdens of the oppressed throughout history. Those who have committed themselves to putting out the fires that our nation has so eagerly started. May we continue the work as a denomination, as a presbytery, and as a local church, to fight fires with our prayers, hope, resources, and action. The fires have left many displaced. I write this as one who is displaced, and although this is a vulnerable season, it is the ripe season for the church to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Amen.

Harlan Redmond, M.A.T., M.DIV.
Organizing Pastor
Interwoven Church