Just a coment on the heading:-

"We must go to the periphery -- that's what God does"

No, that is where God WAS and still is. It is at the periphery where we find God.

And that is where God is today, walking with all those fleeing persecution.

Thank you Thomas for reminding us, gently and timely, where to find God.

And a reminder to the new PEOTUS, that fence you want to build along the border may also be excluding God from entering. Kindly think about that first.