Let’s Talk with Compassion
Bear with me. This is something that needs to be openly talked about in the church because it’s already being openly talked about in the world. How fitting that this topic should follow discussion on forgiveness.
There is a lot of built-up hurt surrounding this topic. A lot of identity is wrapped up in this topic. A lot of passion & fight & anger wrapped up in this topic. So, I want to start by saying that no matter how it may feel, God made you… God designed you… God knit you together even in your mother’s womb. You were not a mistake. The way He made you was not a mistake. And as stark a contrast that may seem to your present reality, it is very much factual. God didn’t make a mistake when He made you just the way you are.
From Hurtful Name-Calling to Harmful Identity-Claiming
I have seen a huge shift happen in the realm of sexual identity, even just from when I was in high school, starting late 90’s to now. It went from “you’re so gay” as a hurtful insult, to “I am gay.” The subtle shift from it being a hurtful label to becoming a harmful identity. An adjective to a noun. A descriptor to what you equal.
Never should the hateful, hurtful shaming have taken place. There is no excuse for public or private shaming of another person in ANY context–Jesus doesn’t do it to us, so we should definitely NEVER do it to others. But the shift has turned to it being WHO THEY ARE vs something about them.
Let’s Not Put Words in God’s Mouth, As Well-Intentioned as We May Be
I honestly think part of it started with the rise in unnecessary gender stereotyping. If a girl prefers trucks, dirt, & grit over pink, lace, & baby dolls… labels were given…. If boys preferred pink, playing dress up, or playing with dolls, over dirt, “stereotypical manliness,” or shooting games… labels were given.
We need to be SOOO careful doing that. Obviously. Because God didn’t make everyone the same! Some girls love adventure & grit, while some boys enjoy fashion & caretaking. That doesn’t mean that now they HAVE to like someone of the same gender in a sexual way! How do we get from one to the other?
Do not add to the Bible. When the Bible talks about men not dressing as women & vice versa, the implication is not trying to pass yourself AS the opposite gender. The Bible says nothing about liking things stereotyped about the opposite gender.
Now It’s Seen as “Who You Are” vs. a Hurtful Description ABOUT You
But here we are. Gender stereotypes taken too far & name-calling turning into identity. And Satan has woven the seemingly perfect trap. Because NOW, it feels like it’s WHO YOU ARE vs just something ABOUT you.
When I prayed over this topic a decade or so ago, seeing the shifts happening, not knowing how to face or address it, God’s response came to my heart quite surprisingly: “I did not create gay people & straight people. I just made PEOPLE.”
STOP CALLING PEOPLE GAY. You are only solidifying the web Satan is trying to weave to keep people strangled in their TRAP of believing it is JUST WHO THEY ARE & THEY CAN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
Do NOT keep perpetuating that LIE!
God DID NOT create gay people & straight people. He just made PEOPLE.
We ARE Born Sinners… That Is Why We Need to be Made NEW
Now we have people all over America believing they cannot ever meet the grace of God, through Jesus, because WHO THEY ARE is contrary to God’s Word! Lies!
I’m sorry, this is not the turn I expected to go with this topic. I just have heartbreak seeing so many people convinced that God made them so they are unable to come to Him. God did not make them gay.
Listen, I have a proclivity toward lust, toward comfort as a straight up idol where I am, in some seasons, tempted to just stick up my middle finger to God (figuratively) because I have clung so tightly to said comfort as an idol in my life, trusting the blessings more than the Blessing-Giver. That’s just to name a couple. I was BORN with those tendencies because I was BORN a SINNER.
It doesn’t mean I HAVE to do those things, or that they are good for me, or that I should embrace them because it’s “who I am.” No. It’s the very reason God needed to make me NEW. To replace & redeem the sin-filled heart I have & replace it with HIS righteousness.
When You Have Trouble Believing God Knows What He’s Talking About–Sexual Identity
You were born a sinner. Of course your natural draw is to SIN. You need to be made new. Only Jesus can do that. Not you, not WANTING to change or wanting to be different. It takes Jesus.
And yes, many other factors, including trauma &/or abuse, harmful stereotypes & labels, certain sin preferences/desires… but what it all boils down to is that you have a choice. You were born a sinner. You were born with a flesh contrary to God’s righteousness. You were born into a world of sinners, with an enemy crafty enough to lead you to your own destruction, while you willingly & naively follow toward said eventual destruction.
(Sin ALWAYS destroys you eventually. Why do you think God warns you SO strongly away from it???)
It takes Jesus. You NEED Jesus.
Jesus Never Loses
And guess what, He doesn’t say, “once you have stopped have sexual desires for the same sex,” or, “once you decide to agree with the gender I created you to be.” He says come as you are.
Because you, with your sinner flesh, plus the enemy Satan? You lose. Every time.
But Jesus never loses. He is the Victor. He is the Redeemer. He can do what you never could—He can make all things new. (Will you still slip on occasion? Probably yes, especially if it’s been a longtime habit, but will Jesus be right there to help you pick up the pieces & grow you some more? Yes! Progress! Renewal! But what will be guaranteed is that Jesus paid that debt so you don’t have to anymore.)
“Lord, I Believe, Only Help My Unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24)
Will you trust Him with that? Will you believe that God knows what He’s talking about because He made you? He loves you, you know? He could have said, “rebel against Me? Sin against Me? HELL FOR YOU!!!” Because it is what we deserve anyway.
But instead… Jesus.
God’s only Son. Sent to die. Came & gave His life in place of ours. He took our shame, our punishment… upon Himself… for us. God didn’t have to do that. But He did.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)
And God doesn’t even ask you to clean yourself up first. He asks you to come to Him, to turn from trying to get to heaven YOUR way, to trusting Jesus is your only hope & letting Jesus pay for you. Then HE does the cleaning up, the more of yourself you submit to Him to cleanse & grow & redeem.
He is faithful. He won’t ever give up on you. Turn to Him. Don’t believe the lies.
Jesus is Who you need more than anything else could ever satisfy.
Shine HOPE by aligning with God on who HE says you are & who HE created you to be, trusting He didn’t make a mistake when He made you just the way you are.
Coming Next Week
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Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!
