It’s Cold Outside

Winter’s chill is here, and many of us complain about the cold. But let’s remember: it’s supposed to be cold outside this time of year.

What isn’t supposed to be cold, though, are our hearts.

As a Black man and a Christian, standing on the shoulders of my ancestors, I cannot accept or celebrate the emotional coldness gripping the nation I call home. For centuries, my ancestors and their allies have warned of this chill—raising their voices, protesting, and urging us to prepare for a winter of the soul. Now, that winter is upon us.

This icy blast doesn’t just sting noses and ears; it numbs the hearts of those who believed that whiteness, or proximity to it, would shield them from the cold. The temptation is to say, “We told you so,” and to find satisfaction in being right. But I know that high places are slippery—especially when coated in ICE.

Instead of giving in to bitterness, I choose to stoke the fires of hope and compassion. I offer warmth—a hat, a scarf, some gloves, perhaps. I refuse to surrender love to hatred or compassion to coldness. Even when it’s difficult, I will not abandon the warmth of grace. I cannot stop caring.

What about you?
How will you keep your heart warm this winter?
Will you choose compassion over indifference?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Matthew 5:43–45

Yes, it’s cold outside. Stay warm—in body and in spirit.

Good morning. I love you all.

ihs,
just adam