The world we live in has drastically evolved over the past few decades. More frequently, laws are being made where people are basically forced to love and accept others no matter what different opinions they may have. This gesture seems pleasant and helpful, but is it really? It is great that the majority of the crowd shouts, "Love a person no matter what!" I full-heartedly believe in loving everyone unconditionally, but is that keeping us from saying the things that need to be said? I can't help but question, is acceptance what we really need?
Recently, my pastor brought up a good point. People seem to buy into the idea of, "What's true for you may not be true for me." With this type of thinking, you can never be wrong. No one can tell you differently because it is what you believe. Some people might think, "Well, it is not my place as a human being to tell another human being they are wrong." That is totally absurd. Of course, you can tell someone they are wrong if it is in love. This generation is growing up with the notion that they can be anything and anyone they want with no consequence or authority. That is not loving other people for who they are. That is being apathetic and selfish. Truly loving someone means you care about them enough to tell them, "Hey, I think you're making a mistake in doing this..." and then having a civilized conversation about it. If you let someone make harmful, permanent mistakes that will affect their future, how can you claim you love them? Yes, you can love people without limitations, but when it is something harmful or negative you have a right as their friend to share your concern. What we need is not to be loved no matter what, what we need is a love that disciplines and makes us better people. Consequences are good. The Bible says, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11). How will we learn and grow as human beings if we're never told no?
If you love someone, your goal shouldn't be to make them happy; you should make them holy. The definition of love is God; "God is love" (1 John 4:8). A love that is imperative for learning and growing is the love from a parent. Today, a parent can't teach or discipline their child without it being child abuse or an obstruction on a child's choice to be who or what they want to be. You're afraid of teaching your child gender stereotypes, or you don't want to force anything on them that might not be politically correct. On top of that, you don't want anyone telling your child what's right and what's wrong. So if I teach my kid that dolls are for girls and trucks are for boys are you going to try to tell my child what's right and what's wrong? That, my friend, is a double standard. Neither side can be proved to be the right one. Yet, as parents, you shouldn't worry about what others think of your child, you should worry about what you and God think. Remember, don't make them happy, make them holy first, then happiness will come automatically. I believe the answer to this is also in the Bible. God gave you your specific kids for a reason. Ephesians 6:4 says, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in discipline and instruction of the Lord." Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." The Lord is telling you to not be afraid to teach your children what you believe in and to raise them with those beliefs. Trust me, they will come to learn all of the other options and when they are old enough will make a decision for themselves.
As a Christian, it is not our right to condemn anyone to Hell; instead, we should love everyone despite the differences because they are a child of God. You are allowed to tell someone that they are wrong in the choice they make because you care about them, but only with the purest of intentions. You are allowed to disagree with the ways of the world. You are allowed to stand up for your beliefs as much as anyone else. There are many decisions and popular communities that I do not agree with; it is all around me in my everyday life. Thankfully, I have a choice to respectfully disagree, pray for them, and be an image of Jesus and love them still and even more. Jesus hung out with the least of these, and I am willing to as well. At times, it feels as if the whole world is fighting for and believing in this new cause, while I am alone in thinking and believing other things. But I know God is with me, just like how God is with each and every one of the people I disagree with. So in love, I disagree with the ways of the world and the new laws. However, I am not afraid to say it because I love and care about every single one of God's children. Also in love, I will treat everyone like a human being and like they matter, because they do. You cannot live out the Gospel if you are constantly judging people by their sexuality or their beliefs. God judges, people love. You have a right to share your beliefs, but it's not good if it is done so with hate and disgust. How are you going to act in the face of adversity? Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God."
