Where is the Love?

I am not ashamed of my faith.

 I am not ashamed to call myself a Christian.

However, I am ashamed of Christians treating others as less than human and 

giving judgement and condemnation instead of love. 

A new YouTube video has surfaced of a North Carolina pastor condemming gays and lesbians. He even goes as far to say that we should "Build a great, big, large fence - 150 or 100 miles long - put all the lesbians in there. Do the same things for the queers and homosexuals and have that fence electrified so they can't get out." (You can read the full article here). This makes me sick. The hatred this 'pastor' is spewing is appaling. As a Christian I am disgusted by others who claim to be followers of Christ and yet completely disregard all the 310 verses in the Bible that talk about love. 

Homosexuality, right or wrong, does not give anyone justification for hate, especially Christians.This is not about my view on homosexuality, because frankly in this case it doesn't matter.  This is about the extremely poor witness that is displayed by other Christians when they say hateful things. The message of hate by this pastor and many others 'Christians' across the globe is not Biblical. Jesus taught a message a love throughout his time here on earth. He left us with a clear guideline for how to love others, not judge them and not condemn them.

John 13:34-35 states, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Love people. Jesus knows we are his if we show His love to others. Others know we are His if we show love. When people show hate and condemnation for others like this pastor, people think we are His and then associate Jesus with this type of behavior, when the reality is Jesus would be despised at it.

1 John 3:16 states, "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." Lay down our life for our brothers. This doesn't say 'lay down our life for those who are the same of us and have no record of sin'. Jesus didn't say 'only lay down your life for those that are straight, non alcoholics, those who attend church every Sunday, etc, etc.

Matthew 7:1: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way that you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." This one is pretty clear. Jesus said not to judge anyone else!

John 13:15: "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." This pastor and others like him are not leaving an example that Jesus would be proud of. Jesus would never speak hatred to others. The example that Jesus left was of pure love. Hatred does not exist in love so anyone who treats others in such a way are not following the example that Christ left.

I am not ashamed of my faith.

I love Jesus and live each day to glorify Him.

Although this love is not always perfect, I do my best to love

others daily and show them Jesus through this love.

I want to show others, despite their lifestyle or choices, Christ's love which is free from

my own judgement or condemnation. God is the only true judger.

I want others who view Christianity in a negative light to know that not all Christians believe the way this pastor does. The majority of Christians believe in loving others and accepting them for who they are. They look at this pastor and are ashamed, just as I am, about the way he is treating others.

I want to be an example of Christ's love.

I hope other Christians do the same, because if not we will never be able to show the

world the heart of Jesus. A heart full of love, generousity, compassion, patience, and forgiveness.