A "love" worth giving?

Sitting here with my jaw dropped I want to say something. Not really sure what to say or how to approach the delicate topic that is causing uproar in our society and friendships. Disgusted by the way it has been dealt with by churches. Treading lightly because regardless of what I say I will probably offend some of my closest friends…..So silently I watch with my jaw dropped

No longer marching through city hall listening to chants of “ One man, one woman”. The event that I was once proud of …Taking pictures of what we thought would be an historic event. Not fully sharing the sentiment that the others shared or the way they communicated their beliefs but being grouped with them. Signs of

“You will burn in hell”
and
“ God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve”

Preachers using scare tactics, neglecting relationships and love….

And as I walked through those halls soaking in what I was a part of, I had conversations, two that I will never forget, remembering one liners and riding the fence because even though it seemed right it didn’t really feel right.

“I just came cause I didn’t want to go to school. I don’t really agree with the ban though. Legislation is about the rights of the people. We as Christians can not push our agenda and opinions on others and legislation even if we think its right. We have to think of human rights.”

Hmmmmm, it made me think, cause even though Manny is and was controversial, he had more than a point…

And as tears streamed down her face, sitting on the floor against the wall she caught my attention.

“Why do you hate us? ”

The words stung my ears and the image is forever burned in my memory. Everything else seemed to fade as I heard her. We began to talk, hoping that she would hear me, with all the Love I could muster I said…

“ I don’t….we don’t hate you”

My voice seemed to be drowned out by what she heard and saw around us so I quickly followed up with..

“ Its hard. Trying to take a stand for something that you believe in. Trying to not get lumped in with everybody who looks like you or is saying they have the same message as you. Feeling like you want to say something but not finding the words and hoping that a message of Love would be communicated”

“ How could I see this as love?! Signs and threats, that’s not love that’s hate!”

We continued to talk, me doing spiritual acrobatics in hopes of digging my religion out of the hole that we have dug for ourselves. Standing for issues as we should but in such a way that the true message that we are supposed to bring seemed to lose power.

Realizing that I couldn’t, hoping that she heard me as I said “ well, I’m different. I believe the same thing that that do, well, I don’t know. For me there is a focus on the Message and the love of Christ rather than the sin.”

We ended our conversation and I had heard her, and I believe she had heard me. Now more pensive than before, the scene I walked through seemed surreal.

It seems that there will always be this battle. We stand on one end, them on the other. Feeling attacked by our opinions and judgments because it seems to be the only thing we talk about.

The biggest issue addressed by the Church. Neglecting the reality that we view it as a sin.
Can’t rewind and state:
James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it…
or
Romans 3:23-24
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
The glorified position we have given it makes our credibility wane.

I’m not sure if silence will change anything, but I am pretty sure that yelling wont.

Sure that the pictures of that rally that I hid from my friend because of fear of her reaction would begin a rift in our relationship that would take years to repair…

Sure that regardless of what my opinion is that if I don’t have the love in a relationship to back it up it lacks power…..

Sure that my stance hasn’t changed but my display of love has…

Sure that was is going on in Uganda, In the US, in Churches is madness…..

Sure that we all need change.