God’s Favors for LGBTQ+ People

If people, Christians in particular, argue that LGBTQ+ people cannot be part of the church because of their continued sin, take John 9:31, and ask how it is that God does not listen to sinners but does so for any who worship and obey. If they are professing faith and receive God’s favors, like the formerly blind man in this story, it would appear that non-straight people are in fact not sinful.

Jesus does not consider a personal characteristic we consider to be a flaw as caused by sin, but rather sees it as a way for God to shine even brighter through such persons, especially if Christ turns them into believers.

Sadly many people who claim to know the truth, are the ones who apparently need to be enlightened. (Like the religious leaders in the gospel, they may be guilty for not seeing their own sin and Christ’s freeing inclusion.) The way I see it, if people force you out of the church, just follow the Lord, and find others who see the light.

Response to the Incursion on the US Capitol

A candle is a symbol of hope.
Given at baptisms it calls Christians
to spread justice and peace
through their life's words and actions.

On Epiphany Day, the revelation of Christ’s light for the world, we saw a very dark day for the United States.

Jesus' birth brought hope of peace for a world in sin. But his infant life was threatened by a ruthless king.

Yesterday, January 6, 2021, an angry mob stormed the US Capitol in Washington D.C., to get their way in rejecting the outcome of the presidential election.

I am a legal resident in the United States. I am proud and grateful to live in this country. I was shocked and felt violated watching average Americans and hothead radicals force their way into the US Capitol. Taking over the seat of government by force is not a legal demonstration of views. It was the outcome of incitement that has gone on for too long, and needs to be stopped before more blood is shed across this nation.

Notwithstanding the motivations of intruders and consequences for those responsible, including president Trump, this unprecedented, scary and embarrassing incident is disturbing evidence for the anger and violence that had been incited and condoned by political greed and the spread of misinformation.

Indeed, the truth of God's will is for people to live free and share God’s blessings with each other. Faithfulness and patriotism both require a confrontation of injustices and an appeal to the goodwill of people to reject violent chaos and lawless abuse, by commitment to unity around agreed norms and selfless kindness toward everyone.

Jesus lived and died for these ideals. He set an example for dedication to God and to others that is opposite of the rioters and any who show sympathy for their actions. In following Jesus Christians must denounce the sin of division and demand commitment to order. And Jesus calls every person, regardless of political or religious affinity, that we defend God's gifts of life, liberty, and democratic pursuit of happiness.

The way I see it, the abhorring attack on the Capitol, democracy, and this nation’s values of unity, liberty and justice on Epiphany Day, is a reminder that it is up to each and every one of us to shine our light into this dark world so that the light of God’s peace will continue to bring and end to anger and give way to peace.

Join me, and let your light of faith, hope and love shine.

Constructive Conflict teaches Building Bridges

Conflict can separate people.
Constructive conflict can build bridges.

Conflict is unavoidable. Whenever you bring two people together, you will have differences. And as they say, it seems that opposites attract.

In the case of couples, for example, it can be a positive thing, when partners complement each other and build on one another’s strengths. But unfortunately, personal preferences, disappointing omissions or undesired actions can lead to frustration and arguments. The question is how each partner deals with their own reactions and resolves them with the other.

Churches also experience conflict over a variety of differences. Some are more significant than others. But that, too is in the eye of the beholder. Some may feel that the color choice for a new sanctuary carpet is trivial compared to deciding how to interpret Scripture in answering faith questions about contemporary issues, but to some it may be anything but.

As one church consultant has stated, conflict resolution may not be the real goal. What helps faith communities is to learn how to talk to one another about difficult topics. Too often congregations look for a quick fix, want a referee to make a decision, and remain unprepared to learn from difficult experiences.1

Systems theory is helpful in understanding that healthy relationships are established when individual members of a group take self-differentiated responsibility for regulating their responses to others or a particular problem at hand. Struggling churches likely are dealing with deeper, inner or inter-personal issues beneath the cause for conflict itself.

The way I see it, we can either deal with conflict constructively, calmly and respectfully, or we can let it become ugly, emotional and destructive. How we handle our differences as Christians makes the difference between turning people off or providing a witness about our faith.

Since the beginning of the church there have been important arguments and sadly splits. But in faithfulness to Christ’s Lordship of the church and to one another as sisters and brothers, we should strive for unity in essentials and building one another up in love. To that end, church members and denominations are called to seek understanding, humility and compromise.2

May Christ, the giver of ultimate peace beyond understanding, give you a spirit of peace for your approach to conflict.

__________

1 Craig Gilliam: Do we really need conflict resolution? https://www.faithandleadership.com/do-we-really-need-conflict-resolution?utm_source=albanweekly&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=faithleadership

2 Michael Gulker: Conflict and Christian discipleship. An Interview about the Colossian Way program. https://www.faithandleadership.com/michael-gulker-conflict-and-christian-discipleship?utm_source=albanweekly&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=faithleadership

Grasping spiritual Reality during Grief

Flowers on a grave express grief for loved ones
but also are a sign of faith in resurrection life.

I can understand how grieving people question God and struggle spiritually. It’s not anything new. People of faith have raised issues of justice and wondered whether God is good or even exists for the ages. The Psalms are filled with questions and accusations.

When you are filled with pain, you want to cry out and have someone take that pain. You want answers. Why? What could I have done different? Will there be a life after death? And you wonder. How come God could not prevent this death? Is God almighty? Does God exist at all?

No one should negate such a human response to an existential crisis that is of ultimate consequences.

God understands you, your feelings, and your spiritual struggles. Trust that God is good and powerful. God may be mysterious and our human reality hard to accept. But God also has shown in Jesus that God is with us in suffering, and can bring life out of death.

“... so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again ...” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)

The way I see it, our loved ones are alive after they die. We certainly miss their physical presence here with us. But just as we can accept the spiritual reality of God, we should be able to grasp that someone who died, can be spiritually alive and present just the same.

May God comfort you in your loss. May you find understanding people. And may you come to trust in the reality of everlasting life for the saints here below and above.

God’s Wisdom is Infinite

Helix Nebula (NGC 7293). By ESO. Public Domain.

God’s wisdom, compared to any human is infinitely greater. That’s a statement of faith. it acknowledges that we keep learning but know that we will never understand everything. God alone knows everything and acts perfectly.

We keep wondering about what ultimately confounds us about the mysteries of the universe and daily life. We try to understand the purpose and meaning of our existence. We see answers to questions about the why, how and when.

Humans are pretty smart. We have been given the capacity for great creativity and problem solving. And yet we do things that are not really great and get us into a lot of trouble because of our shortsightedness or stubbornness.

“For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.”

(1 Corinthians 1.25)

So, when you come to believe that God’s wisdom is infinite, you recognize your human limitation and reach for something more complete. God shows us in Jesus the direction and gives us guidance through the Spirit of God for faithful understanding and for acting wisely.

The blogs I am sharing about my insights of the way I see it will always remain imperfect and yet hope to tap into God’s gift of wisdom.