Communication
‘ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." So he travelled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.’
Mark 1:35-39
From the above Bible verse it is clear that there is an order in bringing healing to our nation. Jesus spent time with His Father. Then He went out preaching and people were healed. After reading an article last night and reading this morning’s devotion, I was inspired to write a piece which became a three part article. I hope you will be inspired to join me in being an agent of change, after reading it.
Looking back on the past four decades of my life, the people I’ve been surrounded by, the circumstances I have faced and the many excuses I have heard or made, I came up with the following statement: “I believe that many of us point the finger too much, neglect our responsibilities too often and fail to recognise or accept the consequences of our behaviour.”
My earliest recollection of seeing hurt and wanting to do something about it was as a young child. Naturally, I could not do much then. As an adult who often speaks out on behalf of the hurting, fear held me bound on many occasions so I do understand why fingers are pointed and responsibilities are neglected sometimes. Yet, for the unity to remain among us we must all accept that there are consequences to our actions which affect the lives of everyone concerned. Someone who lives a selfish lifestyle will not be interested in reading any further, so from here I speak to those who desire to be agents of change in our world.
What follows, is my attempt to help others break the silence (in their little circles) of a very delicate subject which is like a deadly poison in our midst today. It is no secret in the public’s eye, it is the hottest talking point yet in the lives of many it remains a secret they try to deal with or overcome on their own. It is a secret that is destroying the bond between children and parents, siblings and the unity of the home. Family is the foundation of our society. When there is a breakdown in communication at home it triggers many unforeseen issues in the future. So I do hope that my sharing will help at least one family to remove the barriers setup in their homes that hinders healthy communication between family members.
Over the past year, Vince and I have spent a great deal of time reading and discussing various articles on the subject of homosexuality. Last night, we spent some more time reading and discussing an article on how the church is failing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and transsexual (LGBT) people in its midst. The article, from Premier Christianity (dot) com, titled, ‘Is the Church failing gay Christians?’ focused on the opinions of two individuals with opposing views (Steve Chalke and Sean Doherty).
We are particularly interested in this subject area as we have a loved one with views similar to one of the featured writers and activist in this article. We found out that this love one had spent more than a decade struggling with said issue before beginning to indulge in that lifestyle. They did not confide in anyone of us or sought support during the struggling years. They were convinced, in their mind, that we would no longer show them love because of our faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing could be further from the truth for anyone who truly follows Christ's teaching.
If I personally had to contribute to that conversation, in the Premier Christianity article I mentioned above, my sharing would be based on Mark 2:1-17, focusing on verses 13 through to 17, as the starting point. This is where 'Jesus Calls Levi and Eats with Sinners':
13) Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.
14) As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
15) While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
16) When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
17) On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
I have worked closely with young people since the age of fifteen and there are many who are struggling in various areas of their lives yet remain silent for one reason or another. This struggle, without positive support, often manifests itself through various forms of hatred. Sometimes it can be self-hatred or fear of what others may think, which can result in mental ill-health or resentment towards those they assume dislike them. Hence, hatred directed at faith groups, activists or political parties. Labels are then attached to individuals and groups such as 'bigots', ‘self-righteous’, ‘holier-than-thou’, ‘hypocrites’ etc. I would like to call that, ‘Unjustified hatred’. If no one knows the struggle of another they cannot contribute to another’s emotional, mental or spiritual well-being.
There's a whirlwind of hurt on both sides of the fence. There’s a well of intolerance on both sides of the argument. No one has the full story and some do not care what the story is because their only interest in the conversation is vested in making their personal, preconceived ideas or opinions heard. No one has the full understanding of what is going on. Often, no one even knows that there is a struggle taking place. How then, can there be resolution?
When I read ‘hate-filled’ comments on such articles, I’m left feeling either pity for some or irritated by others (who are clearly on a mission simply to stoke the fire). Very often I am distressed by the responses of many who speak on behalf of those who follow Christ yet fail to show love towards others in what they say. When we simply speak from the place of how we are feeling, we do not represent Christ very well.
End of part 1.
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