We were all born with a sin struggle. Whether we have
alcohol problems, anger issues, idol worshipping, coveting, potty mouth, gender
confusion, or being attracted to the same gender, we all struggle with
something. So lately I’ve been questioning and pondering, why are we, as Christians,
putting ourselves on pedestals, broadcasting that we’re better than everyone? Whether
you’re a believer in God or not we all sin. Deny it all you want but it’s true.
So here’s the thing, I love shopping. I love clothes and
expressing myself through colors, patterns, styles, and texture. Every aspect
in an outfit is important to me: the shoes, color of socks, pant length, shirt
cut, shirt material…etc. You’re probably thinking, ok so?...no big deal. Ohhh
no, see that’s where you’re wrong. Self image has basically become an idol to
me. I literally care more about how I look sometimes than anything else. Ok,
still, so what? No, shopping has consumed me. I had a bad day at school, I shop.
Someone said something at work to anger me, I shop. I’m tired, I shop. I’m
bored, I shop. Not even kidding you when I say I actually got to the point of
shopping every day of the week. I spent more time consumed with my image,
consumed with portraying my personality so accurately that I barely spent any
time with the person most precious to me. Just because I have a problem, an
addiction, an idol, doesn’t mean God won’t have me.
So here’s my real contemplation; recently the world has become
obsessed with people ‘coming out’, proclaiming that they are gay. I remember
gay rights week and I can only imagine how awful those people felt having
religious people slamming hate in their faces, shoving right and wrong down
their throats. Yes, ok I’ll admit, maybe I said some things publically that
offended people. I apologize for being so naïve and inconsiderate.
Love, love is an extremely powerful force… the most desired
thing in the world. And we all try and find it in different ways. Human love
though is wonderful, magical, so much more powerful than I think people want to
admit. And that’s why I believe people search and chase after this more than any
other thing, consciously or unconsciously.
And forgive me if I’m wrong, but if everyone’s searching for
this, chasing after it, desiring it (and we shouldn’t discriminate), that’s what
gay (sorry for the general term, I don’t know what you prefer) people desire
too: love. Right and wrong aside, all they want is to love and be loved. Who can
blame them for wanting something so magnificent? Asking them to give up what
they most desire or possess is just like asking an alcoholic to stop drinking
forever (not even a sip), asking a shopaholic to never even step inside a
grocery store to even buy food…you get my point? It’s extremely hard. Think about
it, what do you struggle with? Do you struggle with something as seemingly ‘less
difficult’ like a swearing problem? What if one day someone told you to never
swear again? I told myself that in high school- I was a believer and swearing
is sin so I promised never to swear again…aint that funny. Yes, some people do
in fact overcome their addiction (applause for them)…but to give up the most
great thing in the world…love? Could you give up loving someone because it’s wrong?
It’s forbidding gays from enjoying the most beautifully powerful thing known to
humans. And now I have sympathy and understanding. If I was gay, I wouldn’t want
to give up love either.
God desires all men to be saved and live a life with Him. Sin
is sin…murder, adultery, homosexuality, idol worshipping…its all the same-it’s
all sin and it’s all wrong. Belief in God though simply means we confess our
sins (acknowledge that we actually do sin) and He forgives each and every sin,
no question. Lord knows I can’t give up shopping…and He knows other people can’t
give up and overcome their sin struggle either. All He desires though is for us
to have a relationship with Him, He doesn’t ask us to necessarily give up what
we desire..He just asks to be included in our lives. Is that too much for us? To
let an extremely merciful, compassionate, loving God into our lives? Trust me
when I say, if He asked me to give up what I love most, I wouldn’t have a
relationship with Him right now. I’m tearing up right now just from
experiencing this agape love God has for us…unconditional love, love that has
no end. He doesn’t care what we’ve done in our lives, what we continue to do…all
He wants is to have a place in our hearts.
So stop letting the judgement from people prohibit you from having the most wonderful relationship on earth with our God. Believers, including I, need to stop condemning people, pointing out sin, and just focus on Christ. Let God deal with sin, it's not our job to. It is our job however to accept people no matter what and just show them the love of Christ.
