By the end of the day Friday my spirits were down, not because of the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage but because of many comments written by Christians.
I kept thinking—why don’t I like these posts? Then it dawned on me that some suggested it was the bad guys—they—versus the good guys—we. But I’m not such a good guy; I need God’s grace constantly. This isn’t about the good guys and the bad guys. The gospel says we are all bad guys and yet God’s grace is available to us all (Rom. 3:23; 6:23).
Another question came to my mind—is a secular decision really the tipping point for God’s judgment as many writers suggested? The Bible says that judgment begins with the household of God (1 Pet. 4:17). Perhaps God allowed this decision to change us, the church.
Conversations about gay marriage have awakened many Christian leaders to how ungracious the church has been to the gay community, not because we disagree but because we have treated them as if they were lesser people than we are. The reality is that none of us is worthy. That’s what makes it grace. So God has already been changing the church through the issue in a very good way. Every person is made in God’s image and worthy of respect and love from other people, especially the church.
I also flinched at comments with a “woe is me” tone! Do we not trust God who is on the throne? Nothing in this is a surprise to him. He continues to reach out to all of us sinners— straight and gay, black and white, rich and poor, educated and illiterate. He wants us all to turn to Jesus so that he can do a transforming work in us.
Be encouraged. God is on the move. He neither slumbers nor sleeps (Ps. 121:4). No ruler, court, or movement can stop him from bringing people into relationship with him and establishing his kingdom someday. Why are we so afraid?
What encourages or motivates you to move forward with hope rather than despair? Let’s share some of those.
