Embracing the way that leads to life means giving ourselves to work for love and justice. That includes challenging bad leaders when their policies are harming vulnerable people. Since Trump’s election, I have stood with millions of other Americans to challenge his policies and with fellow clergy to confront his sin.

I do so not because I hate the human being born to Fred and Mary Trump, but because I know God hates policies that hurt the poor, immigrants and the Earth. To love a fellow human in a position of power is to confront him for the public sins he is committing that harm vulnerable people. Unless Trump repents, we are given to believe he will end up like Pharaoh, defeated by his own bad choices. We can pray that both the people affected by Trump’s policies and Trump himself be spared the consequences of his worst decisions.

Because our protest is rooted in love of the vulnerable as well as the bad ruler, we don’t have to kick him while he’s down — and we shouldn’t. Instead, we can pray that, like Nebuchadnezzar, he will be humbled by the consequences of his recklessness. Those who are called to speak to the Pharaohs of this world don’t have to damn them. Our job is to remember his humanity and our own by praying for true healing and using the power we have to build a better world for all of us.