Same Sex Marriage...

Phew! Hot topic!

One of my beautiful friends is a 'famous' blogger. I'm not sure what kind of criteria you're meant to meet to be officially 'famous' - but she is unextinguishable (is that a word?) to me.

My friend has just posted about 'Same Sex Marriage' and how she is a huge supporter. To be honest, I don't know where I stand on the topic. (i can hear gasps already from my highly religious friends! Hear me out!)

I don't understand why we are fighting battles and wasting time standing in 'right' or 'wrong' corners - when, as a representative of God's love, we are called to LOVE. To love, regardless of people's decisions in life. Regardless of where they have been. Love them unconditionally - because that's what my saviour did for me.

On this topic, I often remember Jesus and the adulterous woman. Or the woman at the well. Did He turn them away? Did He say 'you don't meet the standard' or tell them how bad they are or what they've done wrong? Not at all....

Please believe me when I say this is difficult to write. Every 'religious' feeling inside me from growing up in the 'buildings' called church SCREAMS at me to pick up stones... I have a Bible and I know what Moses law says about homosexuality. But God sent Jesus here to show us what HE is like. And how HE loves.

To set the scene for those who don't know the story, Jesus is teaching a crowd when the highly religious, law abiding 'im better than you' hypocritical, finger pointing pharisees bring in a woman who has committed adultery. According to the law given to God's chosen people, for committing such an offense, she is to be stoned. Killed.

These religious folk, living by laws and rules instead of love, have stones in their hands, ready to kill, hammering Jesus for an answer on how to treat this woman - (You can read the entire story in John 8. Please do!) And my Lord's response:

"They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”

Wow. Love. Freeing love. That's my God. I'm the guilty sinner. Guilty. Doing things God had not designed me to do. Ready to be punished for what I have done.

And He, the only one who can, tells me I'm free to go.... and He died to do it. Shed His blood instead.

What do you do with your freedom? When your huge debt is paid off, do you then look down on others? Ready to throw stones about right or wrong? Or do you love like you have been loved?

xK