These past two months seem to have been a very sad and dark time for the world. There appears to be no trace of love or light anywhere, just darkness and hate. But Albert Einstein once said there is no such thing as 'darkness,' only the absence of light. So, I am going to use this platform to spread the love and light that I think the world needs.
Something particularly upsetting that has happened recently is the 'Westboro Baptist Church' incident. I wasn't upset because it gives bad rep for 'good Christians,' because that is selfish. God calls me to live out my faith without getting credit. That's what I am on this very Earth for. Rather, as a Christian, it's very concerning seeing people that claim God, spread the very opposite of what God teaches us to do. Something that is engrained in the Holy Bible and the ten commandments.
There are a few verses that every Christian needs to memorize, which are Mark 12:28-34.
The story goes like this; teachers of the law of the land in Israel go to Jesus about the ten commandments and ask him, "Out all of the commandments, which is the most important?" (Mark 12:28). Jesus in His glory answered with, "First, love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your strength."
But what else did he say?
"Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
Mark 12:31
That's right. It's there, plain as day. I have proof. There are countless other accounts in the Bible that talk about how we are void without love. Love your neighbor as yourself. To be loved by God means to love God. To love God means to love yourself, because God has given you the greatest love in the world. To love yourself means to love others. God is literally love. He created love, doesn't this mean we also need, as Christians, to spread love?
To all of the souls that are a part of the LGBTQ community, I am so deeply sorry. From the bottom of my heart, I mean this. I am sorry for any Christian that has ever made you feel unlovable. I am sorry for every Christian who has ever made you feel like an outcast, or has made you the butt of a joke. I am sorry for the Christians that call you names and mock you. That is not Christianity at all.
It is even said in the Bible that there will be those that carry God but use His name as warfare against Him and His holiness. Fun fact ;) But that will never change the fact that God has the final say. If you are TRULY affected by God, you have love for all that He has created. (Which is all of us!)
LGBTQ community, I have never been in your shoes. I have never known what it is like to be ridiculed for your sexuality, or your gender. I am sorry that Christians have made you feel uncomfortable. I am sorry they have told you that you are going to hell (Which is a sin in itself, btw.) I am sorry that they have driven you away from the church and what God has extended for all of us; His love and grace.
We all fall short to the Glory of God. I am not writing this to call anyone out, rather to reassure those of you reading that God desperately wants a relationship with you. No matter who you are, or how badly you mess up.
So this is my declaration to you, LGBTQ community, as a Christian; I vow to love you like I love my God. I vow to serve you and extend the grace God has given me through the ultimate sacrifice. I vow to be there when you need a helping hand, a friend, or a shoulder to cry on. I vow to welcome you into my church to know what God has gifted us all with; a relationship with Him. I vow to never tell you that you're condemned to a life of suffering, because at one point, we all were.
But God changed that. He sent His one and only son to die on the cross for us, and that's something us as humans, can never take away. We can never reverse that, because once His blood was shed, we were free from the chains of sin. And on that note, no one has the authority to condemn anyone to hell besides the Creator Himself.
So, LGBTQ community, I want you to know that you are deeply loved. By me, by my fellow Christians who have a real grip on what it is to be affected by God's love, and by God himself. Never believe someone who speaks a breath otherwise.