Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:10 NIV)
I'm running a bit late with my devotional this morning. I had to put a lot of extra prayer and thought into it today. I usually try not to write about anything too controversial or political, but I feel that if I remain silent in this case I am giving tacit agreement to a loud and hateful minority (at least I hope it's a minority) of Christians.
Did you see the video of a pastor from right in our own back yard - Maiden, NC - spewing hate, bigotry and ignorance from behind the pulpit? It was so offensive it was removed from Youtube, but I found a 2 minute excerpt on another site. Please watch it so you understand that I am not exaggerating:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/21/north-carolina-pastor-gay-rant-starvation_n_1533463.html
What offends me most is that non-Christians are coming more and more to believe that this is what the Christian faith is all about. And can you blame them? Where are our own voices, as loving, grace-filled Christians, in all this? This "pastor's" sermon - or should I say "rant" - is comparable to one of Hitler's early speeches as he gathered together supporters by tapping into their fear, hate and bigotry. This sermon was not much different than Osama bin Lauden ranting about the evils of western society and making his religious beliefs into law, forcing them on those who would disagree (sound recently familiar?).
More than ever, it is time for those who truly love Jesus and want to follow his example of love, compassion, forgiveness and grace to step up. Our faith and beliefs are being dictated to us by a bunch of pharisitical bullies and it has to stop before we go back to a place where women are stoned for smiling at a man.
No matter where you stand on the confusing debate about whether or not homosexuality is a sin, hate is a much bigger sin and the sin of hate produces more and more and more sin. Let God speak to the hearts of the individual regarding individual sin. We cannot win the hearts of non-believers by force. God himself knows this, which is why he gave us free will.
Do one thing today that will show Christ's extravagant love in the face of this "Christian" hate. Do something to show a non-Christian that the MAJORITY of us are not about bigotry and judgment. Let's begin to take our faith back from those "Christians" who do not speak for us!
Lord Jesus,
We live in confusing times. Help us. Show us the right path. Fill us with your loving, graceful spirit that we may point the world to you. Let them truly know we are Christians by our love. Amen.
Joys: Daniel's 25th birthday today!; getting back into the "loop" at work; Christians who consistently demonstrate love
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