Canadian Folk singer (and believer) Bruce Cockburn wrote this song for his church in San Franciso. The story is told in Christianity Today, October 12, 2021.

ORDERS; (Bruce Cockburn)

The just the merciful the cruel

The stumbling well-intentioned fool

The deft the oaf the witless pawn

The golden one life smiles upon

The squalling infant in mid-squall

The neighbors fighting down the hall

The list is long; as I recall

Our orders said to love them all

The cynic and the crooked priest

The woman wise the sullen beast

The enemy outside the gate

The friend who leaves it all to fate

The drunk who tags the bathroom stall

The proud boy rushing to his fall,

The list is long; as I recall

Our orders said to love them all

The pastor preaching shades of hate

The self-inflating head of state

The black the blue the starved for bread

The dread the red the better dead

The sweet the vile the small the tall

The one who rises to the call

The list is long but as I recall

Our orders said to love them all

The one who lets his demons win

The one we think we’re better than

A challenge great—but as I recall

Our orders said to love them all