Laurie Blackmon
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Remember that with the birth, life, and death of Christ, and His ultimate resurrection, that the Old Testament law no longer applies. Of course, the Old Testament was equally true and equally inspired, but everything changed when Christ gave His life for us on the cross.
Although I agree with you in that we need guidance ourselves and need to help guide others in the way of the Lord, the first and most important thing - before anything else is considered - is to LOVE the way Jesus Christ wants us to love. LOVE has to come first because if it's not, everything else is voided. I hate people who, before getting to even know you, begin the relationship trying to "talk" you into Christianity and tell you what's wrong with your life. I'm 55 years old.....my father was a Protestant pastor. I grew up in a Christian home and one of the greatest things that my father shared with me was, exactly what I said above, to love - simply love. More Christians have caused more harm in the name of Christ than any other humans on earth. Because so many witness from a "holier-than-thou" perspective. Superficiality reigns in the world of Christianity - as it does in all walks of life. I do believe deeply in sharing the gospel - that's what we were placed on earth to do - in addition to enjoying life and everything that God has created for us....but everything in its time and place. If someone is immediately receptive to hearing about Christ, I go ahead. If not, I make sure that they know that I genuinely care about them and that I love them and that love is the reason that I care about where they spend eternity. I have gay friends....because they do not live the way I think they should live or participate in practices that I believe they should, I am not going to leave them by the wayside. God never gives up on us. Why should I give up on them? And situations vary so much - a chance meeting with someone whom I may never see again - I may approach things differently, but I will not give up on my friends or make them think that I'm too good for them by turning my back. We can't control who listens to us and who accepts Christ, but we can live every single day letting people we encounter understand that we love them - regardless. Everyone deserves that. And, lastly, this post wasn't about Christianity or religion - it was about loving all human beings because we all deserve to know what it's like to be loved unconditionally.
THIS is a message for ALL people everywhere.....I am a Christian and I have always said that if you cannot SHOW - truly SHOW the love of Jesus Christ to others - then don't even bother to open your mouth. My daughter has struggled with Christianity for years because SHE was someone who was bullied in school, shunned because she was beautiful, mistreated because she made straight A's. AND THE ONES DOING IT PROFESSED TO BE CHRISTIANS!!!! She had a teacher who PREACHED Christianity to them - but who treated her like a dog. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US PEOPLE???? I have never, ever, ever, ever heard anything written so beautifully as this. It is so poignant, so true, so EVERYTHING that needs to be said every day. THIS is how we need to live!!!!! Thank you SOOOOO much for writing this, Dan. And please tell Jacob he has a friend in me - not for any other reason but that he is a human being who deserves happiness, respect, joy, ALL of the things that we all deserve. If this was the mantra of the world, we would not be in the mess that we're in now. Thank you again.