Why Homosexuality is Good for the Church
That title alone scared some of you. Many of you gasped when you saw those words come from this girl. And then you read on. Because, let’s be real. We are all a little nosy.
I see two things when I look at the church and controversial issues.
- The church is silent.
- The church takes the side of culture.
I want to chat about the first one. Silence.
All this cultural uproar: conversations about sexuality and gender shouldn’t scare the church. It should make the church lean in. Listen. Love better. Look internally.
One thing I love and hate all at the same time is looking at my reflection. I’m not talking about my physical reflection. I’m talking about addressing those things that trusted friend tells you needs changing.
The world is hungry for something. We know that something is Jesus. They are longing for the church to be a place of refuge. We have a choice to make. Are we going to be that place.
Homosexuality and the conversations the ensue in regards to faith are good, healthy, and necessary. These hard conversations help us to look deeper into our faith. Are we believing a narrative because of tradition or because of the Word. Are we loving others well; the way Jesus loved? Are our doors really open or are they closed to some? Who gets to sit at our table? Who gets to participate?
I want to take a bull horn into every congregation and tell everyone that it is okay to stop being silent. It’s okay to step into difficult conversations. It’s okay to dig deeper into what you believe. It’s okay to listen. It’s okay to love. Loving others isn’t scary. It doesn’t say that you affirm every single thing they do. It says you care. It shows you value their humanity. That’s Jesus.
Jesus loved. He loved so well. His table was always open. Everybody. Always. He didn’t make people fill out a form before they could eat with him or listen to what he had to say. They didn’t have to have their life in order before he met with them. He didn’t tell them they couldn’t serve until they got themselves right (Hello, disciples. They were a hot mess). Instead, he loved and showed them the way.
Homosexuality (and any other controversial issue) is a subject that makes us look internally and ask ourselves who we want to be as the church. It is an opportunity for us to live out the church. It is a privilege for us to love like Jesus.
Don’t shy away from the hard stuff. The church is supposed to lean in…and love. To admit when we’ve done it wrong and do it better. An opportunity to listen and be that one door that stays open for that person when all the other doors slam closed.
Let’s do better.
Let’s be better.
Let’s love better.
Love & Blessings,
Meg