I have not made my politics secret to anyone. In fact, sometimes I am too much of an open book. Especially with my face and expressions.
But sometimes I wonder if I say enough? Because I hate confrontation. I mean, loathe it. I know sometimes confronting people is needed, and healthy, even. But I will often avoid talking to someone in order to avoid conflict.
Yet, we need to have some uncomfortable conversations in order for us all to grow and be better people.
I want to talk about what I see and hear regarding LGBTQ groups. Or better said, people.
No one in my family is gay, so I have not struggled with this on a personal level. But I do have a number of gay friends. I do not personally know anyone who is transgender, but this is what I felt nudged to write about, specifically.
I struggle with the transgender concept, because to me, it feels like the person is telling God He made a mistake in the way He made them. And God doesn’t make mistakes. But the bigger struggle I have is, are we as Christians loving transgender people well? And what if I am wrong? God has not appeared to me to tell me how He views this very matter and discussed it with me. He just told me I am supposed to love His people. No exceptions.
Are we, the church, accepting and loving transgender people? Are we, the church, accepting and loving people who are gay, really well?
I am terrified we aren’t.
Just because I do not personally understand someone gives me no right to dismiss their value in God’s eyes. Our Papa loves us all. Every single one of us. And I fear we, the church, have failed the transgender community. I fear we have not shown them the love of Jesus.
I fear we haven’t said, “I’ll save a seat for you, next to me.”
And I don’t mean so that they will “change and repent” the way we so often hear, but simply saving a seat so that person will hear the love of Jesus Christ and know it applies to them.
Growing up, my parents always taught my brother and me, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”
In the South, we are taught to be polite, no matter what. As lovers of Jesus, we should take polite to the next level and be kind.
Genuinely kind.
We need to be catching flies with honey. We attract more people with honey (sweetness and kindness) than we do with vinegar.
We need to be sweet. So sweet we are dripping the sweet, sweet love of Jesus in everything we do and say.
There is a reason the New Testament is peppered with scripture about love. It is because Jesus is love.
Jesus loves His Father. Jesus loves us. Jesus told us to love.
If we aren’t acting in love, we aren’t doing it right. And we fail Jesus when we don’t do it right.
This shouldn’t be about politics and opinions. It should be about people.
Papa’s people.
“Do everything in love.” - 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)
This verse doesn’t say, “do the things you want to do in love.”
It says, “Do everything in love.”
This world is full of broken, hurting people. And we all need Jesus. Desperately.
Our job is to love people. Period.
It isn’t our job to change them. It isn’t our job to point out flaws/mistakes. I sure as heck don’t want mine pointed out to me. Do you?
Our job is to love people.
All the people.
(This photo was taken by my friend Mattie Timmer, who gave me permission to use it).
