a few thoughts about the week's events

Gay marriage is now legal in all 50 of our states. I really don't understand why some are so uptight about this. They feel so threatened and combative. As though God isn't going to be in charge anymore if gay marriage is allowed. As though they are being forced to believe differently. As if their faith is being attacked. They make it into an ugly fight. Those claiming to be followers of Christ don't have to agree with the ruling but shouldn't they still be kind and "love our neighbors as ourselves"? They (we all) can still believe what we want to believe. What is changed is that some feel threatened and insecure as though they are being forced to change their own beliefs as society changes. 

You can still believe whatever you feel to be right, but the hateful comments by those claiming to be the moral consciousness only pushes people away from wanting to be like them. It only breeds arrogance and unkindness and everything that love is NOT. Loving one another is always the right choice. I know, I know, some believe this is only the beginning...that soon we will not be able to practice our own "religion" and our freedoms will be taken away, but I don't really buy that. Prayer taken out of school? Yes, that was unfortunate and certainly didn't make the school system better, but I can still pray in school. No one can stop me from doing that. In fact, now I can homeschool my children if I want to. I am free to do that. I can still bow my head. I may not be able to stand up and pray leading a group in a formal public setting in some instances, but I can still pray! Maybe those praying quietly and sincerely without all the fanfare are accomplishing more because of their gentle spirits anyway. Just maybe.

This world is not our home. It's not our heaven. We are only passing through. We can only do what we can do on a personal one-person-at-a-time basis. Check your own attitude. Is it loving? It is kind? Or is it arrogant and self righteous and hateful. Are we representing the Christ we profess to believe in and follow? Are we going to throw stones when Jesus clearly showed us another way?

God is still on the throne. He really is.

I love the movie, book, play, Fiddler on the Roof. The father had such a hard time with change. And if we live long enough the world will change for all of us and we are always having to reevaluate what we believe. We don't have to change our beliefs with society's norms, but we can still accept and love those who are different. We CAN. God will sort all of these things out one day. He will.

I remember a story told by Corrie ten Boom. Her family hid Jews during World War II in Holland. They had such a love for all people. When she was a ten year old girl riding on a train with her father she asked him, “Father, what is sex sin?” He turned to look at her, as he always did when answering a question, but to her surprise he said nothing. At last he stood up, lifted his traveling case from the rack over their heads, and set it on the floor. “Will you carry it off the train, Corrie?” he said. “It's too heavy,” Corrie said. “Yes,” he said. “And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little girl to carry such a load. It's the same way, Corrie, with knowledge. Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger you can bear it. For now you must trust me to carry it for you.” And she was satisfied. More than satisfied – wonderfully at peace. There were answers to this and all her hard questions. For now she was content to leave them in her father's keeping. (From The Hiding Place)

As is the case with many issues in society, some things are still best left in our Father's keeping.