Boldly moving forward in love for all

Boldly moving forward.  Or at least desiring and attempting to do so.  There have been so many things around me pointing to moving forward, continuing to listen to the Spirit, etc.  As I continue to listen and discern, I find myself still questioning and wondering if what I hear is really what I hear.  Would God really call me to be bold and courageous in that?  But that's risky.  Yeah, I know.  I've said I would live it risky. I saw a post once where someone had posted ministry to people working in strip clubs and the question from that became, would you minister to folks no matter where they were, even if it caused you to be judged or ridiculed or worse?  Because of my conviction to love God and love others, I felt compelled to say that I hoped I could be so bold to follow Jesus wherever Jesus might lead me.

Yet, I fly under the radar with my love for some people.  I may mention it briefly along with mention of other people, but I haven't come out and said it, except in safe places.  Why haven't I said it other than in safe places?  Because there are many people who aren't loving and kind to these people and they seem to think that anyone who supports them can't really love Jesus.

Over the years Jesus has opened my eyes to what love is, in the streets, under the bridges, in tent city, to those with homes, to those without homes, with people who have been blessed financially, with those who have nothing, with people throughout the world, and I've seen this love of Jesus exhibited in and through people who are heterosexual and those who aren't.

That confused me at first because I had been taught that if you were gay that God didn't love you.  So when I met people who were gay and loved God and I felt the very presence of the Holy Spirit flowing from them, I was confused.  If God's love and presence isn't in them and flowing through them, then what is this?

In this post I'm not going to quote Scripture for or against homosexuality.  That's not what this is about.  In fact, that's not what Christianity is about from everything that I can gather.

What I am saying in this post is that I am coming out as an ally, for ALL God's people. You see, in Psalm 139 it talks about God, the Creator, knitting us together in our mother's womb.  God created all of us.  We are uniquely and wonderfully made.  I believe that.

I also believe that we are to treat all persons with dignity, respect, and love.

Why now?

I've been an ally for years.  Why come out as an ally now?  There are several things brewing that feel like the perfect storm for me.

First, maybe I should say why I haven't been openly out as an ally for people who are different in society.  I will start there.

Fear.  I have been afraid to be open about it.  Why?  Because loving folks that are different isn't always accepted by others.  It is questioned and often rejected.  Therefore, it was about learning, growing, and loving while under the radar, yet not fully under the radar because I was openly loving to all.

Back to why come out now.

Orlando.  Too many lives were cut short because of hate, fear, and ignorance.  It's time to show love.

Suicides.  There are kids and adults taking their lives because they feel unloved by society, because they are told they are unloved, etc.  I don't get it.  As a follower of the way of Christ, I can't see how this is loving God and loving others-- by pushing people to the point of taking their lives.

I read yesterday's devotion in The Upper Room, "Trust God", and that caused me to spring forward a little more.  The verse was from Joshua 1:9-- "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  The author, Lynn Karidis, wrote: "When faced with a new challenge, we can remember God's past faithfulness.  These memories provide the courage to accept each new challenge that comes our way."

Courage.  I also heard about courage yesterday from Jasmine Smothers as she addressed our District Conference in both a workshop setting and worship.  She challenged us in reaching the younger generation and doing whatever it takes.  She also shared from Nehemiah 2 and how Nehemiah encourages us to take risks.

She said that there is no time to waste; to get on the risky journey.  Maybe that's why I'm jumping in today.

If I am going to truly love God and love neighbor, then can I pick and choose who that neighbor is?  Can I say that God loves one neighbor and not the other?  Jasmine reminded us that we need to grow up in God and grow up out of selfishness.  She said, "God is challenging the church to grow up."  It takes courage to grow up and change.

Nehemiah challenges us to overcome our fear.

Whether we have fear of the unknown, fear of the "other", fear of being rejected, etc., we are to trust God and know that God is faithful.

Another quote this past week, by Rilke, has been floating in my head.  It is this: "I beg you to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a foreign language.  Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them.  And the point is to live everything.  Live the questions now.  Perhaps, then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer." - Rainer Maria Rilke

I still have questions.  I don't have all the answers.  I know that by saying I choose to love, then there will be questions.  I don't have all the answers.

What I know is that Jesus has made it clear to me that I am to love God and to love neighbor as myself.  I am to share the love of God with everyone, including the person on the other side of the road that I might want to avoid, for whatever reason.  I know that we are all knitted together in our mother's wombs, uniquely and wonderfully made by the Creator God.

It is for these reasons I choose to love.

Blessings on your journey,

Debra