December 4, 2014

I've been scrolling through Google+, and for some reason, I'm seeing a lot of pro-choice, pro-gay pictures. Now, I have a pretty tight group of people I follow, and the communities I am a part of are GREAT. So why am I seeing this?

There are two very, very different, oppostional sides to the Christian arguement of whether or not gays are acceptable and whether or not abortion is acceptable. And a lot of variables. People end up voicing ideas they have heard previously that they agree with; this creates a massive divide in the long run, because you will end up with two opposing parties... just like our nation's government!

Whether its the issue of abortion or homosexually minded people, the mentalities behind both are the same. We, as Christians, are called to love them. But in today's culture we have to realize the word "love" has become skewed and distorted from what it actually means. Love, today, means acceptance. That we should take everyone as they are, and who cares what happens to them? Its their life! Just accept them and play your own personal role in this masquerade we call society. But in reality, love is a selfless choice towards another. It means sacrifice. Dedication. Pursuit. In short, everything Jesus does for and towards us, we need to emulate that to others. Which means confronting gays and abortionists, in a loving manner (Jesus will help with this; just let HIM speak THROUGH you), and letting them know 1) they are wrong to do such things, and 2) that they can be free from it all if they live in Jesus. Its about love yall. Not acceptance, but a genuine love. By confronting pro-choice, pro-gay believers you will be sacrificing self image, and very possibly persecuted. Thats the selfless choice towards someone else. Thats love. Just trust God through it all.

The other, antithetical side of the issue from a Christian standpoint is the abuse of these people. Christianity has a bad rep for bashing people and their beliefs. Christians are known for excluding, hurting, and I would even add dehumanizing, abortionists and gays. And, in the spirit of over-compensation, many have turned to acceptance to "save face" for the entire Christian community, as mentioned above. Some condemn openly, talk of hellfire and brimstone, and terrorize the pro-choice and pro-gay sects of our culture and this is ALSO wrong. We are called to LOVE our neighbor, not beat them into the ground! We need to let Jesus work in HIS timing... there is a time and place for condemnatory words and hellfire, but many times it ISN'T when WE think its time for such things. After all, Jonah wanted God to wipe Ninevah off the earth, but God had GRACE and MERCY. Perhaps we should consider the same thing.

And then there is a third party in all this. Sadly, it is vastly smaller than the other two, which is why I had not mentioned it. This party consists of those who outreach to abortionists, who minister to gays, who actually SHOW LOVE. This is what God calls us to do! We need to serve them as if they were ourselves; loving our neighbor as ourself. God didn't say, "Love those you like as yourself", He said "Love your neighbor as yourself" meaning anyone you come in contact with. THAT is the extent of the love we need to show! To serve, to minister, and to be Jesus to ANYONE around us, regardless of beliefs or doctrines. In this way we shine God's light brightest. Once again, it all boils down to LOVE. A true love, not a meer acceptance.