So here we are at the end of 2010 and the cusp of 2011. Did you all have a wonderful Christmas? I hope so! We certainly did!
I've come a long way in my understanding of things this year. I used to be blissful in my ignorance of some things and have learned my lesson about others. I know now to accept things with a grain of salt and to guard my heart much better than I used to.
And I'm thankful. Thankful for the family and friends who have been loyal and to those that I will always be loyal to. Thankful for the new and wonderful friendships that I have been blessed with this year and the old friendships that have become SO MUCH stronger as well. I'm so grateful for my husband who has put up with a lot of stress and emotions this year...it will pay off in the end I'm sure of it! And i'm thankful to my wonderful parents for all they have given to us. And to my amazing in-laws who have been so resilient and strong! I'm thankful that my husband and I can count ourselves among the employed as well!
This year a lot has happened and changed and I know it is for the better. Much of it has hurt as growing pains always do, but even though a lot has changed it has opened my eyes and taught me much. And I am grateful to God for what I have learned and what we have been through.
I'm sure that you are all looking back on your year 2010 as well and looking forward to 2011 and for all that will come. I do wish for myself and for all of you that you have more happiness than heartache; that you grow more than you retreat; that you learn some healthy lessons; and that you have more love than you've ever had before!
Here are some Christmas moments!
On Friday of last week I heard something very disturbing on the morning news. A high school about a half hour away from me was putting on the play "The Laramie Project"--a play about Matthew Shepherd, the young man who was tortured and murdered for being gay in 1998. A church from Kansas decided that wherever this play was being produced, they would picket. They stated in an interview that "you may not talk about God without talking about his hatred."
First of all, let me say, that as a high school teacher, I give major credit to the students of that high school. Most kids are afraid of homosexuality because it is different. They are just as scared of being different as any person on the social edges and if they say that homosexuality is okay, or tolerated, then they are setting themselves up as well. Kids are scared of having the spotlight on themselves but those kids that participated in that play are amazing for volunteering to be center stage on an issue that is so controversial!
Now, I am disgusted by that Church. I am a Christian. I am proud to be a Christian. But I am not proud that those people call themselves Christians too. Jesus would tell them to go home. He did in the Bible when the prostitute was being persecuted for her sins. He told them that if they were without sin they could throw the first stone (John 8:2-11 ). This is the Jesus I know and follow. When Jesus came to earth this is what He said to us: "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it." John 12:47
Jesus sits on the throne of judgment. I do not. Judges that are appointed by the governing courts of a country are entitled to judge. I am not.
Jesus told me to love. He said "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34)
So why are there Christians out there preaching this message of hate? It makes me sad. It makes me really sad. It makes me really sad for Matthew Shepherd and his family and friends. It makes me really sad for anyone who has been a victim of a hate crime. It makes me really sad for people out there who struggle with their sexuality and feel condemned by Christians.
The majority of us don't hate you. God did not teach us a message of hate. God taught us to love you. God did not teach us a message of judgment. It is not our job to judge.
I'm not going to get into my beliefs on the subject because that is not the point of this post. The point is--this church full of Christians from Kansas should look at themselves before they preach "God's message of hate." As Christians we should daily preach God's message of love. As I remember very clearly, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
This scripture does not include a footnote that says, "except for homosexual people" it says "the world." So we must love all the people in the world too, even if we don't agree, even if we don't like someone, even if someone's moral choice are not our own. It doesn't matter. We must love the whole entire population because God did and told us to as well.
Here is the link to the article: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2010/10/28/as_framingham_high_stages_controversial_play_a_teachable_moment/
