In light of recent events, our nation has been shaken to its core. Shootings and outbursts of violence are completely normal nowadays. Terrorism continues to pose a major threat to our security and the security of our allies. Because of this, it can be a frightening topic to ponder over. In particular, the recent shooting in Orlando, conducted by a member of ISIS, has been devastating for countless heartbroken individuals.

Some Christians appear to be expressing relief that the shooting occurred in a club specific to gay people. Upon hearing a conversation in which words of relief were uttered after hearing that a majority of the murdered in Orlando were homosexuals, my heart sank. Since when did it become okay to rejoice at the news that anyone had been killed at the hands of a terrorist? What a sad world it is that people refuse to see the beauty of God's most precious creation, man. No matter what a person may be participating in, it should not be a Christian's instinct to overlook how valuable each and every man and woman is in God's sight. With this being said, we as followers of Christ, are to look at each and every person with the same love that our Father so graciously chooses to show us. Going back to the victims of the Orlando shooting, the notion that those victims were living in sin is not a matter to celebrate. The ESV Bible tells us in 1st Corinthians 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." From this Scripture, we can conclude that most of those who were murdered in Orlando died in the midst of a whole lot of sin.

In addition to this, it is equally likely that a number of them had not accepted Christ as their Savior. This is the point in which it is crucial not to develop a prideful mindset involving looking down on others just because you aren't committing the same type of sin as they are. Hold on, follower of Christ. Did God ever say that it is impossible for Him to forgive the sins of one who comes to Him? We should always be careful not to criticize others for their sin while simultaneously ignoring our own. The "holier than thou" point of view comes into play when believing that any sinner is of less value than you. I feel that this mindset is one that is rampant in today's society. Not only is it not uncommon to think this way, but this perspective is promoted in many ways. Americans love to use our "freedom of speech" as a free ticket to say whatever they want and believe that there will be no ramifications for their careless actions. Hatred and vile speech is not something that our forefathers prayed for us, and it is painful to see how many lost people believe that Christians are intolerant savages who despise those who don't agree with them. The command is simple, but we so often lose sight of it: love. When God commands us to love, it is not limited to those who have the same belief system as us. We are not to only love certain individuals because that is easy to do. We are to love everyone regardless of their background, race, political standing, etc.

But how do we go about loving those who make it so difficult for us to love? Perhaps one of your friends is a homosexual and refuses to listen when you attempt to share Christ with them. Does this mean that you should beat them on the head with a Bible until they repent? By no means should you disregard their value as a human being. What you are to do is love them no matter what they believe, and by your actions, they will at least witness the love of Christ being shown to them. In order to go about showing God's love to those around you who may be hard to love, spend time in the Word. Also, pray for a heart overflowing with Christ's love so that you may pour out that love on those whom you encounter. Love God first; love people second. There's a lot of love to go around. We just have to be intentional regarding how we choose to use the love we've been given. Just remember: this love should not be limited to certain people in any way. God's love is poured out on every individual; therefore, we are to spread love on each and every person as well.

What a mission we have been called to fulfill. The command has been given, but it's our turn to rise up and carry out the command. However, instead of counting it as just another order to obey, let's look at this as something beautiful. It is a privilege that we have been blessed with the ability to know and be loved by Christ. Who are we not to love others? Who are we to look down on others for not fitting in with the unfair standards of society? Remember the next time you are tempted to look down on someone that that individual is made in the image of God, just like you. It is so vital to recall our equality as human beings. We are all the same in that we are all made in His image. Nowadays, we like to view Scripture and Christianity as extremely complex concepts. In reality, it is so very simple. It's time to get back to the basics and genuinely love others as our Father has called us to do. The world is in desperate need of true lovers of Christ who will stop at nothing to make sure the whole world hears of the great God we serve. Love is a choice, but it is a difficult one. Let's be the generation to fulfill the simple command.