"How should we then live?"

Francis Schaeffer - philosopher and evangelist - posed the above question in his 1976 book and subsequent film series about historical and social changes in Western thought, and it's an incredibly relevant way to approach social changes in America. Imagine the following approach:

____ happens -----> "How should I live now?"

This approach accepts that social currents are continually changing and that we must continue our lives regardless. Ya know, the whole "in the world but not of the world" thing (John 15:19). Now, if you've read the title of this article or you've watched the news in the last few months, then you know where this discussion is going.

Transgenderism is more accepted than ever -----> How should I live now?

Or more importantly: How should the Church live and love now?

1. Learn

I submit that loving comes from understanding and understanding comes from learning. If we are to love our neighbors as ourselves - and yes, our neighbors do reside in the LGBT community - then we must learn about our neighbors so that we can gain a deeper understanding. Learning about such a topic gets confusing because it's so marred by rhetoric and constantly changing lingo, but that's okay. Learn the difference between transsexual and transgender (one deals with anatomy and the other deals with gender identity, respectively) as well as other buzzwords that apply to this conversation, learn what psychological needs are present in individual situations, and learn about how individuals in the LGBT community often feel isolated and cut off from institutions like the local Church.

Allow me to highlight an example from Scripture. John 4 recounts the story of Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman at a local well. The Samaritans were despised by the Jews and seen as the lowest members of society, and women then occupied an even lower social status. But then there was this woman. This particular woman was an adulterer who found identity in her multiple spouses, making her the lowliest of the low, socially speaking. She was considered such an outcast and she was so ashamed of who she was that she went to the well during the hottest part of the day in an attempt to avoid seeing anybody. It is here that she encounters Christ. It is here - in her isolation and loneliness - that Christ listens to her talk about her life's story. Even though He already knew everything about the woman, it is here that He offers compassion to the lowliest of the low and offers her an identity that supersedes her relationships with men.

If God incarnate can listen to and learn about members of society who are struggling with identity, acceptance, and isolation, then certainly the Church can do the same. Surely we can quit seeing people as projects and begin seeing them as beings worthy of respect and understanding.

2. Provide identity

It's a true shame to see human identity become wrapped up in gender and sexuality. Even from a secular viewpoint it must be seen as a shame. Humans are made for and capable of so much more. We have minds that can get men on the moon, hands that can create exquisite art, and athleticism that can go for miles (well, not me, but you get the point). We have the ability to reason, understand, and calculate. We are complex, sentient beings. Gender and sexuality are but a portion of our humanity. They are a piece of our imago dei, ultimately meant to point to the image of God in our very beings. Ultimately this has become distorted by society's paradoxical push towards believing gender is of no importance, yet it is of the most importance. We are told that gender is fluid and meaningless on one hand; then on the other hand we are essentially told that our gender identity defines our entire human existence.

It should be no surprise that we've gotten to this point, though. We've elevated gender as an idol for a long time now. We've told our sons they're "acting like a girl" when they cry, we've told our daughters they "aren't acting ladylike" when they play in the dirt, and heaven forbid a girl play with toy cars or a boy play with dolls. Certainly, there are biblical gender roles that should be fulfilled in the family, but to rigidly police each other's gendered actions places gender on a pedestal it was never meant to occupy. Likewise, heralding virginity as the one unwavering marker of purity (which could not be further from the truth) puts sexuality on a pedestal it was never intended to occupy either. Gender and sexuality are both gifts from a gracious Creator, intended to show His creative design for human beings, and neither was intended to take the place of the Creator (Romans 1:25).

In a world where women are sold into sex-slavery by the millions, individuals feel that they are trapped inside their own bodies, and suicide rates have surged to a thirty year high, the Church must provide the truth concerning identity. We must let our children know they carry an inherent worth that transcends their gender and sexuality. We must share the message that we are made with purpose, uniquely and specifically created to do good (Ephesians 2:10).

3. Be consistent in love

This may be the hardest point I'll make, and it applies to myself as well. Timothy Keller says it this way: "In the end, we love people into belief. We do not argue them into belief." Essentially, the Gospel message concerning identity, humanity, and the like is offensive. The Gospel is offensive because it's a hard pill to swallow for a world that is constantly in a state of self-absorption. Indeed, the Gospel tells us that identity is not found within a person but in something much greater. In light of conventional and worldly wisdom it makes no sense. Due to the utterly challenging nature of the Gospel, we need not add any more offense to the message.

That kind of makes sense, but what does it look like?

Again, we must look to Christ for an example. When Jesus interacts with people, scripture often recounts Him as being moved with compassion for His audience - whether a crowd or an individual. Christ told folks some pretty difficult stuff - things nobody wanted to hear, but He was always moved with compassion. He never cursed them, ranted on Facebook, or threatened to mangle the next person who goes into the "wrong" restroom. Christ did not confuse love with glossing over the truth, and He never sugarcoated difficult messages. However, He was always moved with compassion for those He interacted with.

How should we then, live?

We must learn, continually speak the truth, and never lose sight of a redeeming love.

When was the last time you were moved with compassion for somebody who is struggling?

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:12-14