Metro Youth Network

“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.” This quote by Billy Graham has been one that has come to mind in the past week or so. For some reason, God has laid the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) community on my heart recently so I thought I’d share my thoughts with you. First of all, I know that this is a touchy subject for many people. There are so many views and beliefs, and I don’t feel that I am particularly knowledgeable about this subject, or by any means have any answer to the never ending debates. What I do know is that God is certainly trying to teach me something, and while reading this article, I pray that you would have an open heart and mind.

I remember the exact moment when one of my best friends told me that he was gay. I don’t remember the moment because I was devastated or shocked by the news. I remember the moment because I don’t think that there has ever been a moment since then that I loved him more. It was my junior year in college when he called me one night sounding a little more nervous than usual. I immediately knew something was up and before I knew it, he told me that he was gay and that he’d been having these feelings since he was a lot younger. He also said something about how he had prayed to God for years that he wouldn’t feel this way, but he does. My first thought was that I had no idea how he had kept these feelings inside for almost 10 years without talking it through to someone. My second thought was being surprised that he would tell me about this first. And my final thought was that whatever response would come out of my mouth next would probably be one that he would remember forever….

Let’s fast forward to yesterday as I was leading a girls’ small group at my youth group. I was leading a lesson on forgiveness and how God forgives us of our sins when we ask. All of a sudden one of my girls interrupts me and says “Amanda, do you think that gay people are going to hell?” The question caught me totally off guard, and knowing that she lives out a bisexual lifestyle made the question even more interesting. This question was from a teen girl whom I have come to know and deeply care about. I knew that she looked up to me, respected me, and trusted me. Again, whatever words came out of my mouth could either further strengthen the mentoring relationship or cause it to shatter into pieces.

I share these two life situations that are very dear to my heart because these questions and situations occur every day. There are debates and conversations happening all around us, and as Christians we must make a choice; to either love or hate. I have heard members of the GLBT community say that they have been told that they are going to hell and that God can’t stand them and that they are disgusting and perverse. The sad thing is that these comments are coming out of the mouths of people who claim to be Christian.

Andrew Marin is the President and Founder of The Marin Foundation, which is based in the neighborhood of “Boystown” in Chicago. He seeks to build bridges between the GLBT and religious communities, and he shows his passion for this through his book entitled, “Love is an Orientation.” The following quote is from this book:

“… all the GLBT community wants from God is (a) to have the same intimate relationship with God that evangelicals claim to have; and (b) to safely enter into a journey toward an inner reconciliation of who they are sexually, spiritually and socially.  Really, these simple desires are not that different from ours.”

Bottom line is that we have no right to judge, only to love. Our job as Christians is to love others with the same love of God, to spread His truth throughout the world, and to be the vessel through which God saves souls. Maybe instead of telling someone that he’s going to hell, or telling someone that she’s unloved by God, we as Christians should pick up a Bible and take a refresher course because no where in the bible does it say to respond like that. Let’s point the GLBT community to God by showing them God’s love and never ending grace. Let’s join together and break down Satan’s strongholds of hate. Jeremiah 29: 11-14 says:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.

Let’s walk forward with the GLBT community as we ALL seek God.

As these questions come up in your life, what is your response going to be?

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