You know, the struggles that are so abhorred by my conservative brothers and sisters, are struggles caused by a lifetime of rejection--perceived or outright. Then, "in the name of (a gracious, loving) God," we use conservative judgments to stab the wounds of rejection deeper, which only pushes our hurting brothers and sisters further and further away from a belief of Hope. Without Hope, there is no possibility of change, preceded by healing. We often just choose to be impressed by the lie that our deeply wounded brothers and sisters have come to believe, rather than accepting them in their state of hurt, and helping them see the truth about who God says they are. This fact makes me hurt. Our brothers and sisters' behavior is not our responsibility. Our responsibility is to "love God" and "love peeople." Those are the commands that, if we love Him, we will follow, according to Him.
The fact of the matter is that when Jesus was physically on earth, He did not choose to gather with the religious leaders who were so well educated, who were so certain of their greatness by intellect/studies. In fact, those are the ones He rebuked. His specific words said that He did not come to earth for those who are not in need of a doctor, but those who are sick. And if it is so "sick" (as I have heard so many people refer to certain struggles) that people become addicted to drugs, alcohol, food, starvation, homosexuality, money, self-pity, gossip, sex, drama, another human being…then it seems to me that Christ came for them just as much as those of us who hide sin so well! And it seems to me that, as we choose to condemn and ridicule those with obvious imperfections, we are merely behaving as the Pharisees behaved. If we really want to get down to the nitty gritty, when we compare the outcasts of Jesus' time to the outcasts of our time, we would see that Jesus WOULD be in the HOMES of those who are in same sex relationships, addicted to alcohol, addicted to extreme substances, food, starvation, diets, money, self-pity, etc…and He would simply be loving them.
It frees us to stand back and realize that no one of us is greater than the next. It frees us to accept people just as they are. It frees us to trust God with ALL things, including all people's (including ourselves') struggles, quirks, mishaps. When we stand in front of someone and judge that they are unworthy of our acceptance because of one quirk, we are standing in front of the tax collectors and demon-possessed, the prostitutes of Jesus' time and saying, "How dare you think you're worthy of God's love and grace." It's about that time that Jesus would walk up to speak love and forgiveness to those people. THAT was when lives were changed. We can allow Christ in us to walk up speak love and forgiveness to the hurting. That, still, is when lives are changed.
"Do you believe," Jesus asked the man whose daughter was dead.
"I believe with my head…"
"You must also believe with your heart."
"Yes, I believe."
Jesus spoke gently and with power. The girl jumped up, alive.
We are free to trust. We are free to believe. We are free to love.
"Thank you, Jesus."
