With the recent ruling of the Supreme Court to legalize gay marriage across all 50 states today, my social media pages are overflowing with articles, cartoons, pictures, and comments with all types of opinions plastered in large, capital letters. There's no avoiding it, and it's something I've been thinking a lot about. I wasn't really sure what I thought about the topic at all until I read one article called "The 5 things Jesus Would Say to the Gay Community." You can read he article by clicking here.
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For whatever reason, homosexuality seems to be the scarlet letter of today's society. Instead of a giant A that makes people turn away in disgust, it's often christians who sneer and turn away if someone who has a different sexual orientation is coming towards them. I can't tell you how often I see or hear of men and women being ostracized by the church and members of the church families because of his or her sexual orientation. I don't understand how telling someone that because of this one sin in their life they will forever be separated from God because the sin is just "so wrong."
Did you know that there are probably people in your own church who sin? I know. You probably just gasped and spit your espresso all over the computer screen. I'll give you a second to clean that up...
It's true. There are people in your church community who are born again believers that steal, lie, cheat, watch pornography, have substance abuse problems, have affairs, drink underage, sleep around, have addictions, and anything else under the sun. They're human, and humans sin.
Let's say that your pastor just told you a lie. It happens. It wasn't a big lie, but it was a lie nonetheless. Would you start rioting and protesting; screaming at your pastor that he's going to hell because of this one sin? (If you would, then it may be time for you to discuss your anger issues with a professional.)
Let's pretend that your daughter just stole a cookie from the box in the pantry after you specifically told her not to. Do you snatch the cookie from her hand, make a sign that says "THIS sin is inconceivable! You'll never get to heaven if you keep snatching cookies from the pantry!" and tell her she's a filthy excuse for a human?
Now let's look at one more example: Susie Q and John Doe have been married for ten years. They have one kid, two dogs, a turtle named Steve, and a beautiful home in a suburban neighborhood. Susie and John were having problems in their marriage. John had an affair with the lady who checks him out at the Deli in his local grocery store. John confessed his wrongdoing to his wife. They went to counseling, she forgave him, and their marriage survived. They started going to church and on the day that they heard the gospel for the first time, John went up to a friend in the church and said he wanted to become a believer. The friend said "Really?! That's great!" And John said "I have to confess my sins to Jesus and he will forgive me for everything I've done. Lying, stealing, cheating, having an affair-" and the friend jumped up and said "OH NO. No no no no no no NO. Jesus does NOT forgive men who cheated on their wives. Go home. You aren't welcome here."
Do you understand the point I'm trying to make? We're all sinners. Jesus would tell those five things to the gay community. Sure, I agree with that. But I think he would tell those five things, or similar things, to the community of women that gossip in your church family. I think he would tell those things to the community of habitual liars in your church family. I think he would tell those five things to the community of alcoholics that sit throughout the service week in and week out- hungover from the previous night's escapade.
1. I love you.
2. I understand you.
3. I was tempted to do the same things you are doing.
4. I want more for you.
5. I will be here for you.
When I read those 5 things, I consider the sins in my life that I struggle with. Anxiety is a sin and it's something I struggle with all the time. Sometimes I can help it, and sometimes I just can't. If I were sitting in a coffee shop and telling someone for the first time that anxiety is this terrible, soul wrenching sin I deal with and I don't know what to do; I hope and pray that they don't slam their fist on the table and verbally condemn me to hell. I hope they would look at me and say "Jesus loves you. He understands you. He was tempted to worry. He wants more for you. He will be here for you."
"But Melissa!! You're comparing homosexuality with stealing an Oreo! There's no comparison! This is irrelevant."
To which I reply:
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
"For whoever keeps the law but stumbles at just one point of it is guilty of breaking all of it." James 2:10
"Why do you see the speck of sawdust in a brother's eye and attempt to criticize it before removing the plank from your own eye?" Matthew 7:3
Sin is sin. If someone who stole a car can be forgiven and accepted into the kingdom of God, then I believe that people who are gay on earth can be accepted too.
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You don't have to complete a five step plan for Jesus to love you. You don't have to vow to never turn on a computer screen again for Jesus to love you. You don't have to pray fifty three times every hour that God will help you stop worrying for Jesus to love you. You don't have to do a certain dance, sing a certain song, or anything else. You just have to accept that Jesus loves you. Period. That's it. It doesn't matter what the sin in your life is- Jesus still loves you. He died for you on the cross and forgave you for whatever sin in your life that you struggle with. He loves you. He understands you. He was tempted to do the things you are doing. He wants more for you. He will be here for you.
