We were on vacation. That is what I will tell my children when they ask where we were the day that the Supreme Court made a ruling that would allow same-sex marriage nationwide.
I had signed off of social media for the week… I had lost track of my days and dates… and our biggest concern wasn’t anything on TV… but whether we were going to hang around the resort or go into town for the day.
And so when I picked up my phone – I was surprised by the news.
I began scrolling through status updates, articles and posts…. all responding – all passionate – but all so divided.
I found myself surprised by some who were openly showing their support. I found myself surprised by others who were openly furious. I found myself saying the words, “They are on that side?! I had no idea that they felt that way.”
But right then I realized that lines are being drawn in the sand that will be almost impossible to ever cross again.
And my heart broke.
Because on both sides of this…. are people.
Not just ideas and morals. Not just thoughts and opinions.
People – with beating hearts.
And while I have my own opinions of the Supreme Court’s ruling, you won’t find my support or my rejection voiced here. My reason is simple. It is not because I am ashamed of how I feel, nor because I am afraid. It is not because I lack conviction… because I have my own strong opinions of the ruling.
It is because I recognize that my personal convictions voiced loudly have the ability to silence conversations that I might have with people that I know. It is because I believe that one on one conversations are where hearts can be heard and where convictions can meet compassion.
I am reminded of the time that Jesus encountered a man named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus had climbed a tree to get a better view of Jesus, because the crowds had made it difficult for him to see. Do you know what Jesus did when He came to that tree? He called Zacchaeus down, and invited him to dinner.
He didn’t tell the crowd what He thought about Zacchaeus. He didn’t make an example of him or his lifestyle. We don’t even know what was discussed around the food that day.
All we know is that Jesus went to Zach’s house, had dinner, and Zacchaeus’ life was changed forever.
Friend? I’m NOT saying that we need to be silent. I am saying that we need to be ready to have hard conversations. We need to hold firm to our personal convictions, but we need to be ready to show compassion. We need to be prepared to meet face to face with whoever comes our way.
Because the Supreme Court’s ruling doesn’t change hearts, but our response to it can.
As Christians, we believe that Love won when Jesus defeated sin and death making a way for us to have a relationship with God again. Love won when Jesus once and for all broke off the lies that we would never measure up, that we would never find our way back to Him, that said we would never have hope, or health, or life.
Jesus won when He redeemed a broken humanity back into His perfect Love.
… and no ruling or power or authority can ever unseat Him from His throne of victory as He reigns forever over all things.
But we might not ever get to share this Truth with the people that we love the most… because we silence the conversation before we ever get the opportunity to have it.
My prayer is that now more than ever Christians will know why we believe what we believe, and that we will be prepared to speak with Love in every situation…
Because that is truly the only way we can show that #lovealreadywon (for all of us.)
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