If you have watched the news recently, you’ve probably noticed a movement among some Christians pushing for the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. For many of us, this might feel a bit puzzling. After all, is advocating for the Ten Commandments in schools truly a reflection of the priorities that Jesus called His followers to uphold?

Interestingly, if we look to the Gospels, Jesus didn’t tell His followers to publicly display commandments or religious symbols. His focus was never on outward symbols of faith but on living out a life of compassion, love, and service. He emphasized caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, and welcoming the marginalized. So why has this public display of the Ten Commandments become such a hot-button issue for some?

In fact, it’s surprising how many voices advocating for the Ten Commandments in schools also advocate for cuts to programs designed to support the most vulnerable in society—the very people Jesus called us to care for. These programs address fundamental human needs like food, shelter, and healthcare, aligning directly with Jesus’ teachings about caring for the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40).

If these advocates are proposing these cuts with the expectation that Christians will step up and provide for the hungry, homeless, and needy directly, that’s admirable—but realistically, it’s a burden that faith communities alone cannot bear. Far too often, this push is less about taking on social responsibility and more about ignoring the needs of those who can’t “pull themselves up by the bootstraps.”

“Red Letter Christians,” a term referring to those who give special attention to Jesus’ words in the Gospels, have been criticized in mainstream American Christianity as “progressive” or “social justice warriors.” Yet, these Christians are simply trying to live out the radical love and justice that Jesus embodied. Isn’t it time we reexamine what it truly means to follow Jesus?

The truth is, the priorities of American Christianity seem to have shifted. In many ways, we’ve gone from a movement defined by Jesus’ teachings to a political agenda that, at times, ignores or even contradicts the heart of the Gospel. Instead of focusing on loving God and loving our neighbors as Jesus commanded, some segments of Christianity have taken up the banner of religious nationalism, often at the expense of compassion and justice.

Perhaps instead of focusing on posting the Ten Commandments in schools, we should turn our attention to the commandments Jesus gave us: to love God and to love our neighbors. Let’s ask ourselves, as followers of Christ, how we can more closely align with His teachings—not through symbols or displays, but through tangible acts of love, justice, and compassion. Because, in the end, a life lived like Jesus’ speaks more profoundly than any display of words on a wall.