When Did We Become A Body Adept At Condemnation?

When I was a Group Camp counselor, we used to do this short activity with our campers before we ever asked anyone to step into vulnerability. I’m going to share some things with you in this blog that require me to humble myself and submit to the Lordship of Jesus, trusting that He will protect both your mind and my heart. As I’ve been asking Him what to write about, He’s consistently bringing up topics that I immediately trash because of the level of vulnerability that is required for me to actually post the piece. But He’s brought this one up over and over again, so I don’t know that I’ll be able to avoid writing this any longer. So before I move into this space, let’s check our hearts. 

Hold your hands in front of you, palms up and open. They’re empty aren’t they? So are mine. These empty hands signify that you have no stones to throw, indicating that you won’t cast judgment. In John chapter eight, the Pharisees bring an adulterous woman to Jesus and spat her sin at Him knowing that the Law commanded by Moses requires a woman found to be guilty of this sin to be stoned to death. To their surprise, or maybe they weren’t surprised, Jesus’ response was this, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” None, not a single one of us, is without sin, so I’m asking that you would refrain from casting the stones of judgement that you think you might possess. You don’t. My God has redeemed and restored every part of my story and I’m thankful to Him for how He has changed my life. Can we pray together? 

Lord, these open hands are surrendered to you. We want to hear from you. Let not the enemy see this opportunity to pounce on the minds of brothers and sisters, but let your spirit consume us and teach us how to exhibit love only. Do what you want, King Jesus. We love you. Amen.

For most of my life, I’ve struggled with something that in the culture I grew up in would’ve had me removed from the love of Jesus, but I knew that I wanted God and I believed that He wanted me too, so I never even talked about it. I considered it in my own mind, but never gave voice to it. I couldn’t help it, but I’d be spiritually exiled for it. For a lot of my teenage life I consistently asked myself one question. 

Am I gay? 

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Pump the brakes, homie. Did he just say what I think he said? He struggled with homosexuality? Isn’t he some kind of missionary? A worship leader? Wasn’t he a counselor at a Christian summer camp?

I’m not blind to the fact that not every person who reads this will respond with questions like the ones i just wrote, but let me ask you another question. What kind of questions would you have asked if I had written one of these statements in place of that one? 

Am I a glutton? Am I a liar? Am I lazy? Am I racist? 

Most likely, you wouldn’t have thought twice about that. We’ve got program on top of program inside the church to help addicts detox and rehabilitate their lives, but do you wanna know how we help folks walking in homosexuality? We condemn them from the pulpit. Once I watched church leadership overlook a pastor posting racist comments on Facebook, but I have sat on the street corner with gay men and women who have been exiled by the church. 

As a body, we’ve become well versed in communicating that the love of Almighty God is enough to cover our drunkenness, lust, and greed, but not homosexuality. Christ extends the same offer for redemption to every person. 

Where have we gone wrong? When did we become a body adept at condemnation? When did we write this skewed version of the Gospel? Who gave us the power to decide what sin is covered by Jesus’ sacrifice? 

All of that to say, I’m a turtle and the church scared me into my shell. Instead of allowing me the space to process and release my sin to Jesus, the institution helped me to shove it into a backpack and carry it around thinking it’s too heavy for Him.. Let me tell you something. He wants that. He asked me for it and I gave it to him and I am healed. I AM FREE. I no longer have to wear that pretty little number that we call shame. I gave that back to the enemy. 

The answer to my own question is “No.” I am not gay, but I know that there are men and women in the same boat that I’ve been in for most of my life and I’m here to tell you that Jesus desires to deliver them from bondage too. He wants to set YOU free from what’s had you bound, not because He has to, but because he deeply desires to. 

If you are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, hear me out. I’m not here to condemn or to pass judgement. I LOVE you. Genuinely. But the fact of the matter is that I could never love you as much or as well as the Lord does. His desire is to hold you tightly and to help you shed the layers of sin that the enemy has clothed you in. No one wants to be told that they are a sinner, but truth be told, we are all sinners no matter how hard we work to conceal that.

To the Bride of Christ. I adore you. I love you and I want us to look more like God intended for us to be. I hope this elevates your perspective to a heavenly level. Let’s see and love people just like Jesus does. One body. One purpose. To glorify the king

To every person that interacts with this blog, check out my poem, I know who I am. I am not confused. Let Him ease your mind. Ask Him who He wants you to be.  

I love you. 

I am for you. 

AWM