Open Letter to the Mayor of Malibu: Humble Appeal

written by a member of WCB

“Heartfelt Continuation

Dear Honorable Mayor of Malibu,

I pray this letter finds you well and blessed by the Lord’s grace. Having shared my thoughts with the broader Pepperdine community, I felt moved to address you specifically as a steward of one of God’s most beautiful creations on the California coast. Your leadership serves not just residents of means, but all who call Malibu home, and by extension, touches the many visitors who come to experience its natural splendor.

Recognition of Beauty and Blessing

Before offering any thoughts on humility, I must acknowledge the breathtaking beauty the Lord has bestowed upon your coastal sanctuary. The scripture reminds us that “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1), and surely the magnificent sunsets over Malibu’s shoreline stand as some of creation’s finest declarations of that glory. This natural splendor has been entrusted to your stewardship—a profound responsibility and blessing.

I recognize, too, the weight of leadership you carry. Governing any community requires wisdom, patience, and discernment—qualities King Solomon himself prayed for when faced with leading God’s people. Your tasks of balancing development with conservation, prosperity with accessibility, and growth with tradition are not taken lightly.

Gentle Call to Communal Humility

With brotherly respect, I wonder if there might be an opportunity for Malibu to demonstrate a counterculturally humble spirit in a world increasingly defined by status and exclusivity. When our Lord chose to wash His disciples’ feet, He provided an eternal model of leadership through service rather than position. This divine inversion of status—the Master becoming servant—offers a template for communities blessed with abundance.

Might Malibu, under your thoughtful guidance, consider ways to become known not just for its affluence but for its accessibility? Not merely for its exclusivity but for its extraordinary welcome? Not simply for the success of its residents but for their servanthood?

Practical Paths Toward Humble Community

In my Southern hometown, even families of modest means understand the biblical principle that “to whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). This manifests in practical ways that might translate beautifully to Malibu’s context:

1. Creating Genuine Welcome: Our community churches hold potluck dinners where professors break bread alongside mechanics, doctors alongside day laborers. Might Malibu create more public spaces and events where economic diversity is genuinely welcomed rather than merely accommodated?

2. Honoring Essential Work: The pandemic reminded us all that communities function through the faithful service of grocery clerks, sanitation workers, and maintenance staff—many of whom cannot afford to live in the communities they serve. Could Malibu pioneer creative housing solutions that enable those who work in your city to live with dignity among those they serve?

3. Celebrating Simplicity: Despite Malibu’s justified reputation for luxury, might your leadership highlight aspects of simple living that bring sustainable joy? From community gardens to intergenerational mentoring programs, there are countless ways to cultivate richness that doesn’t require wealth.

4. Environmental Stewardship as Humility: Your spectacular coastline offers a daily reminder of something greater than human achievement. How might Malibu’s environmental policies reflect not just conservation but genuine humility before creation—acknowledging that we are caretakers rather than owners of such splendor?

Southern Perspective on Community

Where I come from, we understand that true community isn’t measured by property values but by how we care for our weakest members. Our small-town mayors are often found serving pancakes at the volunteer fire department’s fundraiser or driving elderly neighbors to medical appointments. They demonstrate leadership not by distinction from their community but by deeper immersion within it.

The front porches of our modest homes serve as gathering places where backgrounds and bank accounts matter less than belonging. When hurricanes or tornadoes strike, no one asks about political affiliation or education level before helping rebuild a neighbor’s home. This instinctive movement toward mutual care reflects Christ’s teaching that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Invitation to Transformative Leadership

Mr. Mayor, you have been entrusted with influence over a city that captures the world’s imagination. The decisions made under your leadership echo far beyond city limits. What a remarkable opportunity to demonstrate that true greatness lies in service, true wealth in generosity, and true community in welcome.

Imagine a Malibu known not just for celebrities and ocean views, but for pioneering a new kind of coastal community where affluence enables access rather than exclusion, where privilege is understood as responsibility, and where the city’s most admired quality is not its luxury but its love.

Prayer for Your Leadership

As I close this letter, please know that I and many like me are praying for you—not with judgment but with sincere hope for God’s wisdom in your leadership. May the Lord grant you courage to lead counter-culturally when necessary, wisdom to steward abundance for the benefit of many, and joy in creating a community that reflects the best of what humanity can be when blessed with so much.

For as James reminds us, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10). What greater legacy could any leader leave than a community that embodies this divine paradox—finding its greatest elevation through genuine humility?

With respect, hope, and brotherly affection,

Southern Brother in Christ”