[Sons to Glory!]

As I was working outside today I was musing about this subject and talking to the Lord about it and how to speak the truth in love. Here's what came to me - God has a household administration and His banner over us is love. Because He loves us, He wants the best for us, and He has an order of things that facilitate each one in His household in getting what they need (not necessarily what they want though).

God doesn't give laws and guidance just to be flappin' His lips - they are for a purpose. And that loving purpose is to help us and to not do harm to others and have good relationships with one another. Some of His laws are real obvious in that we can see that violating them does obvious harm to others - e.g., murder, stealing, lying, etc. Other things He calls out, like adultery, cause issues and harm with relationships . . . it is hurtful to the other parties. Sexual sins cause relationship issues.

So God has a loving, household administration to see that everyone in His household gets what they need. And things are put in place and communicated for the children's security, safety, comfort, nourishment, continued relationships, etc. And to keep things operating well, there is an order so that the love and care can flow to all. Often there are ones who want to rebel against that order (think teenagers), because they don't see the overall benefits of maintaining that order.

If you say LGBTQ+ doesn't do anyone any harm, then what about all the other relationships surrounding a LGBTQ+ person? You may say it's not fair and all that, and that others should be more "enlightened," but to say the least, the lifestyle is not easy on various relationships. (that's what a gay friend of the family once said, "Who in the world would choose this - because it's certainly not easy!") Perhaps God had this in mind, when He called various sexual behaviors as being "off the mark." I don't know completely . . . I just know He calls it out. Sin is off the mark and causes death. (1 Cor 15:56)

I'm not here to judge - the Lord knows we all have sin and things we do that are counterproductive according to God's universal order of things. And Christians should love others regardless of behaviors (this really takes Christ's love in us!) But God's laws and guidance are not just some arbitrary and capricious thing for His amusement. They are there for a loving reason, even if we disagree or can't see what that reason is exactly. Some things we just have to trust Him on. (e.g., drunkenness, adultery, homosexuality, etc.)

So I hope that makes sense - I am trying to say the same thing in different ways to hopefully make it more clear. Please forgive any shortcoming I have in effectively communicating this. Lastly, if someone doesn't see that any LBGTQ+ behavior is even just a teeny-tiny little off the mark according to the Bible, I don't know what else can be said!

Jesus loves me this I know, cuz the Bible tells me so.