Church and Homosexuality

We are doing it all wrong.   We as in the church.   We are drawing this line in the sand where there shouldn't be one.  We have backed ourselves into the proverbial corner and painted ourselves the bad guy when we are the ones who have the hope and help.   Of course, you would never know that by the way we are acting.   Maybe the problem is that so many of "us" have lost sight of that ourselves. 

I'm sorry.  Let me back up because I know I am rambling. 

This big topic right now is homosexuality.   It is everywhere.   In schools, television, churches, neighborhoods, politics... everywhere.    It is divisive.   Us vs. them.   The "church" vs the world or so it seems.   People who are for it are loud.  People who are against it are loud.    


However, when I pick up my Bible that isn't how Jesus did things.  He wasn't loud in his approach.   He wasn't "in your face" in his approach.   He didn't dig in his heels and take a my way or die approach either.   When I look at how the church is responding that is what I see.  

Over the past few years I have had the unique privilege of having several people trust me enough to confide in me their struggles with homosexuality.   Some were inside the church and some were not.   Some have since decided to tell others, but some still hide their struggle.   Some fully believe what they are doing is a sin while some do not.  

My role in their life?  Basically it is Mark 12:31, "... To love my neighbor as myself."   To see them as Jesus see them as the person He created instead of being defined by their sin.  Love them as He loves them.  To pray for them.   To plant seeds of God's love and truth in their life so that GOD can change their life.  

I can't change anyone's heart.  That is God's job alone.   However, God does call me to love others.   All "others" regardless of what their life choices are.  


Jesus was pretty outspoken about one sin in the Bible.  He really hated religious leaders who used God's Word as a weapon instead of mercy.   You see this in the instance of the woman caught in adultery.   They wanted her stoned, but Jesus said, "whoever is without sin cast the first stone".  No one could do that.   Jesus was without sin, but he didn't cast a stone.   He showed mercy.    Jesus thought adultery was wrong, but yet he defended her.  

Like I said in the opening of this post, the church has drawn a line in the sand where there shouldn't be one.    Church is not a building we go to each week.  It is those of us who fill that building.   Church, we need to do a better job at loving our neighbors.   We need to start imitating Jesus and instead of those "religious leaders".