Gay Marriage and Christians...

I spend a great deal of my day online, it is a part of my job, and I love it. I enjoy reading news articles, interest stories, blogs, twitter, facebook, youtube.. I mean you name it and I at least partially am aware of what it is (or will be tomorrow haha).

My favorite medium is blogs, I love them. I love getting a deeper insight into someone's view of the world, cause let's be honest, 140 characters while providing a wonderful platform for laughs just does not connect my heart to yours... So, I blog.

However, upon occasion I get fed up with the "trends," I get tired of reading all the different perspectives on things going on in the world, I get frustrated at both sides of the argument attacking the other for their incompetence, their ignorance etc... etc.. Each side claiming the other is for one reason or another stupid, idiot, un-christian, christian, unloving, loving.. blah blah blah. I just get tired of reading the (thankfully) first amendment right to share opinions.

While I definitely have my own opinions of gay marriage, Obama, government official's views on religion and gay marriage.. the thing I keep coming back to is:

"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." - Colossians 4:5-6


Did you catch that? 

"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders,  

making the most of the opportunity.  

Let your speech always be with grace."

The thing that I am the most frustrated with is the lack of ACTUAL conversation about this (or any other hot topic) issues. What is NC saying by voting against gay marriage by such a resounding 20% (which is a huge margin)? Clearly there is reasoning there.. but no one is asking what it is, instead the people who think it is a mean or hateful decision are turning into bullies and name calling or accusing the people who voted against it of being (fill in the blank). Then, in response some Christians are not responding with grace. Instead, they are taking this opportunity to antagonize the situation... Yes, thank you for your sharp wit, but really shut up cause you are hurting the entire conversation at large...

Instead of taking this opportunity to reach out to a very hurt and broken community, and openly admit we are against the sin not the sinner, we are "fighting" back in a manner that causes our voice to get lost in the collective internet noise.

So, once again, as I have said before,

"You were made for so much more than these shadows of who you are clinging onto as your identity. 

You were made for more."

And, once again, I always come back to caring more about the individual's state of salvation and brokenness, and not really caring about the laws, the public policies or the media's dogging of the issue... If I am going to say I believe in the Bible and its Truths (capital T), and then if they come into conflict with the government's laws, I have to choose the Biblical laws over the government's.

And, to be clear, I have yet to meet anyone who is not completely and totally sinful. Your sexual orientation does not make you better or worse, it makes you fallen and broken.. regardless of if you are "straight" or "gay"... You are broken and sinful. 

 

I am broken and sinful too.

 

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.... 

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:1-2, 38-39

A Note to Those Christians...

It never ceases to amaze me how some of the most rude, condescending, judgmental, and hypocritical people are also the ones who claim to be christians. This week for some reason I have either come up against those kind of christians or I have listened to other Christians express hurt or frustration from an unpleasant encounter. So, here are a few remarks I have said or would like to say to the christians that exhibit a large amount of gracelessness and mercilessness.

First and foremost, we have been given this incredible gift of grace and mercy. One which we did NOT earn, we did not ask for, and we most certainly did not pay for. The only appropriate response is to turn around and do the same to those around us.. Giving them a glimpse of what we are completely aware of.

Second, your sins and my sins have been FORGIVEN. Which means stop freaking bringing up things from the past and running your mouth about what someone should or should not have done in any given situation. There is a distinct difference between calling someone out for actions for which they need to be called out for (mind you, just because you SEE something does not mean God has bestowed the task of taking care of it... Holy Spirit will let you know..) and berating someone or making it clear you look down on them (as though you are above them) for a mistake they have made in the past...

Which brings me to a subset.. If someone has a mistake/sin from their past, and you are merely aware of it.. you have no rights to claim emotions or feelings towards their mistake. You were not a part of it, nor was it intended towards you. That sin is between them, whoever was involved, and God.. Butt out... (I do recognize that sometimes past sins can cause pain to someone not involved.. that is something that needs to be taken to the Lord, not used against the person.)

Thirdly, please remember one crucial thing. God is God, you are not. He does not need you to fix things for Him, He is perfectly capable on His own... And, please learn the difference between your own feelings and emotions and "feeling something in the Spirit." It would make everyone's (even your) life so much better. You are not the morals police.

Cuatro, just because you feel strongly about something, does not mean everyone else should.. There is a reason we are referred to as "a body" we each have our roles, soap boxes, and fights.. But that does not mean you should make yours someone else's.. such as piercings, tattoos, owning a home, investing etc.. While all of those things could be right or wrong depending on the person and the situation, you are not tasked with making sure everyone around you believes the same way or feels beat upon for thinking something different..

Now, on to some things I honestly believe we should all practice.. Love. Do not mistake my "love' to mean the cute hearts and rainbows kind. The false love that never says no.. I am talking about genuine heartfelt "I care about you too much to let you fall" kinda love.. The love that would cause you to die for someone. It is commonly understood that the more something is mentioned in the Bible the more important it is. The word Love (in one of several versions agape, phileos, aros, etc..) is mentioned more than 900 times in the Bible (I dare you to find a page in the bible without at least one "love" in it.), meaning this is a crucially important topic to understand. Just because you have the right to say something, does not mean God gave you the green light on His behalf. Choose your words carefully, and make sure your heart is approaching it with their best in mind.

Lastly, stop pretending like you are doing God a favor, He's already paid for your sins and theirs. Live your life so that it gives glory to God, and to speak words that show you are worthy of the call of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I Know I am Single, But...

Last night my best friend from college and his father-in-law (who I also know) stayed the night as they were passing through (sorta) to buy a new "mid-life crisis" (is it too early for me to buy a mid-life crisis car?) car for his father-in-law. Anyway, they got here late, but we stayed up talking until REALLY late.. then they got up to say bye to me since I had to leave before them in the morning... It got me thinking.. I am SO BLESSED. I have these amazing friends who just love me.. and I have more then I can count on one hand... And even more then I can count on TWO hands... But, the thing that got me really mulling over how blessed I am is the fact that here I am, my best friend from college went out of his way to see me, his wife packed me a surprise, and a little note written on it that she couldn't wait to see me for Easter...

Does anyone else notice what is typically odd about what I just said?... Not only does he love and care for me.. but so does his wife!.. AND.. I am a "single girl" in their life. Shouldn't I be seen as threatening to her?... Nope, she loves me just as much as he does. I am so blessed.

This lead me to thinking about "the Church." True, pure, un-broken, perfect community the way God wanted us to be and live... Typically once a couple is married all the opposite sex friends that are still single get put on this "caution, dangerous material" shelf, until they can also join the ranks of the married Borg of God (haha.. is it ok to refer to the married Christian community as the Borg?). But, what I love about my best friend from college and his wife is they have not only continued to love me exactly as I am, single (white) female, they continue to cultivate a relationship as individuals and as a couple with me. I love that because I am not interested in pushing friendship beyond what is ok, but I also love that God still can use those relationships to bring us closer to Him... And, what I love even more is, I can think of several married couples in my life that treat my singleness as though it has no impact on their love and friendship towards me (obviously the relationship changes.. but distance changes a relationship too...). I cannot thank these friends enough for truly unconditionally loving me.

Thank you to my use-to-be-single guy friends who even though married, love me in Christ. Cultivate a pure, clean, loving, community built on solid foundations of Christ with me... This still very single (and probably for a long while still) girl as though I am a special part of their community. Then, I have to thank their wives... Because it is very clear you not only love and trust your husband, but you love and trust me.. and THEN you pursue and cultivate a friendship that is unique to just us. I cannot even begin to count the number of times my best friend from college's wife would say or do something that I just really needed.. or she would encourage her husband to reach out to me knowing I was hurting.. or she would reach out to me and offer their mutual support... That is true, pure, un-fallen, unconditional love that can only come from our Savior... And trust me, I do not take that love and trust lightly.. I cherish it right down to my core, from both of them, and the several other married couple friends who have just loved me regardless of my lack of a marital status. Words just do not do any justice for how much that means to me. Thank you.

Me, my best friend from college, and his wife.

Our annual Easter weekend get together that just means SO much to me! :) Love them!

Amazing People

So, while I'm extremely frustrated at things I can't control today, I am still amazed at the people God has put into my life.

I'm finding it amazing and interesting to see how God truly does knit people together that can cover for each other's weaknesses or for their low moments. It's fascinating to see how things are supposed to work when functioning in the "body." I think it's interesting how when I'm upset for whatever reason I end up talking with a friend who is very calm and collected, makes me laugh, or just is insistent on showing they care for me (even though that's a challenge to let them).

hmm.. God is so good.