The world has been rocked this past week by the announcement that same sex marriage is now lawful in all states. The liberals are celebrating, the conservatives are horrified and then there are those who are "in the middle."
I have read posts full of hate towards the gays and lesbians, and how abominable they are. I have read posts saying how excited they are. I have read posts of people supporting both sides. But what has caught my eye the most is the commonality between all the posts that say, "#LoveWins."
That hashtag got me thinking deeply about this subject. How does love win if so much hate is being spread around? How can love win if we push away those who are different than us, believe differently, or follow a different path than us? We can't. Plain and simple. There is no way to reach someone with hate, disgust, or judgement. Let me make an example. Let's say you're at work and your co-worker comes to you (equal to you in rank) and starts saying to you, "You did your job all wrong. You disgust me with how you do things. You're just gross. You sinner! How dare you?!" What does that do to you? It makes you defensive. It makes you grind your feet a bit further into how you do things and you just want to snap back on "what business do they have to judge you and if they have so much trouble with you, why don't they just talk to the manager?" Your openness to hearing what they have to say is closed off completely. But let's say your co-worker comes to you and says something like this, "Hey, I just wanted you to know that I see your effort, but I wanted to mention something to you if I could? I noticed you did this job this way, but did you know our boss wants things done this way? I just know you're a good person and are trying your best. Didn't want you to lose your job!" You're probably going to feel a lot more receptive to them and even appreciate the advice and help. If you're full of pride, you won't appreciate anything anyone says, but for the most part, most people would appreciate such help.
Same goes for how we approach anyone about anything pertaining to Jesus, the Bible and Christianity. If we are shoving in their face our religion and how we think they're so crazy for not realizing that sleeping man with man and woman with woman is wrong, and we put them down, spouting off scripture and our beliefs, we will just be pushing them away. They'll be saying after you're done, "They're just like all the other Christians. They all think they're so perfect and righteous. They think they don't sin. They think they can judge me when they themselves are sinners. Why even try to believe in God, or change my ways when Christianity and Jesus obviously doesn't help them with their self righteous piousness and attitudes." You might wonder why I state it so matter-of-factly, but ti's because I have thought those very thoughts when I wasn't a Christian. Those who sat around and judged me and told me where all I was wrong and how dare I do or say such and such, I was so turned off by it. I just didn't want to have anything to do with them. But those who approached me with love, gentleness, kindness and forgiveness, I was able to accept into my life and it changed me! I was way more receptive to help and correction when the word came with Love. That is when Love Won with me.
It has made me really sad to see how Christians state their beliefs and have pushed away the gay community. I have a heart for these people. I think God wants us to feel love, compassion and care for them.
In Matthew 7: 1-3 it says, "Don’t pick on people, jump on their
failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same
treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to
see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer
on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for
you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole
traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou
part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your
own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor." (MSG) In other words, as other translations say, "Judge not, lest you be judged."
Also in John 8 also says this, "
Jesus
went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again.
Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
3-6 The
religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in
an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said,
“Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery.
Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?”
They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so
they could bring charges against him.
6-8 Jesus
bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him,
badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you,
go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in
the dirt.
9-10 Hearing
that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest.
The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where
are they? Does no one condemn you?”
11 “No one, Master.”
“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” (MSG)
With those two scriptures, it is clear that Jesus doesn't want us to judge and he also told the men wanting to stone the woman that the sinless should cast the first stone. Not one could and all left her alone with Jesus. That is Jesus' way of showing us that we all have sin.
Romans 3:23 says this, "But in our time something new has
been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has
happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become
Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone
who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in
this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both
us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the
glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer
generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got
us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted
us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ." (MSG) (short version is "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God).
We all sin. Our sin just might be different than others. It doesn't excuse our sin. It doesn't excuse theirs. All sin is deserving of death and hell. But instead, Jesus came back to life after being crucified on the cross to bring redemption, resurrection and grace in our lives! He extended us a hand of grace! He extended us a hand of love! He extended us a hand of forgiveness! he didn't come to condemn, but to heal. He came to bring life, love and freedom from sin. I believe Jesus wants us to love our fellow sinners. I believe He wants us to reach out to them and let true #LoveWin(s). Let our actions speak louder than words. Don't condone the sin. But don't bash and hate. Extend the same hand of grace, love and forgiveness that Jesus offered you to those who are around you. We need that grace on a daily basis. We can do no less for others. Let's be a light of love to every person around us. We have so much to offer, but our offerings will go stale if we offer it in a spirit of pride, hate and degradation.
Blessings!
