Changing views on the world

This semester has been a great one, even with it only being a month in. I thought, I told people, and I was SURE that this semester was going to be my hardest. However, even though it is an intense semester (a ton of reading and writing), it has been a great one. 

This semester has changed how I view things. I wondered and wondered if I should write about it because I'm sure I'm gonna turn some people off. However, it has been exciting to me that I have found new ways of seeing things and new ways of reacting to things. One of my professors even pickingly said that I wasn't going to have many friends if I keep voicing everything..lol. 
  

One example of this is: One day in class we were talking about how we label people. When we see someone, our culture has taught us to automatically put them into a category, whether because of their race, clothing, or what we think their sexual identity is. A question we brought up is: Why? Will it change the way we talk to that person? React to them? Be friends with them? So, that same evening, L and I were watching Wheel of Fortune. There was a contestant on there that had the mannerisms of a homosexual. Unfortunately, like we usually do, we both said "That guy's gay!" Right after I said it, it dawned on me. I had just talked about this in class that day. Did it matter that person was gay or not? If I met that person face-to-face, would I treat that person any different? And I even voiced this to Lewis (which is what brought on the picking comment from my professor after I told her..lol) I have always been a friend to anyone and everyone. Even the ones that aren't the most popular, most liked, or the people that are looked at as outcast. Yet, here I am categorizing people. 

 Another example is a phone call with a friend. She had called me to tell me about her day. She mentioned her errands and what all happened at school. Then she mentioned "And a black guy ran into my car." I didn't say it out loud, mainly because I know most of the time she doesn't listen (she sometimes hears, but doesn't listen well), but I wondered "Why did she have to bring in race (or a person's sex)? Does it make any difference what color that person's skin is (or their body parts)? Would she have felt better if it was a white person (or female)?"

Now, don't get me wrong...I know this is part of our culture. I know that it's not a way of thinking we can automatically get rid of. I know we all do it and I know I will still do it. However, I have become much more aware of it and how I'm going to try and not do it as much.I'm not going to put the impossible on me by saying I won't ever do it, but I am going to work at doing better. 

 However, I have been thinking a lot lately of how Christians treat the homosexuals. Why is it that we classify homosexuality as "the sin" that keeps people out of church? Aren't all sins, sin in God's eye? Why don't we condemn people who....steal.....and keep them from coming to our churches? Why do we embrace people who have....disobeyed their parents.....yet want to kick out the people who have different sexual behaviors as us?

In Bible times, eating together was a BIG thing. (Guess that's where the Baptist get it...lol...j/k) Jesus ate with the lowest of the low and conversed with the people that others would stay yards away from. Yet, today, we as Christians, aren't being that "Jesus-like." We aren't going out to eat with the prostitutes. We're not inviting the homosexuals to church. What kind of example is that to them? Instead we are condemning them and what is that offering them? I have family and friends who are homosexual...granted, I haven't seen them in a while...but I never condemned them. Even though I didn't figure they would except, I even invited them to church. I think that was a shock to them..lol. 

 

Why do we push them farther and farther away from the church? Again, a sin is a sin, so why is THAT one the big one?

 

I have always known that all people need God's love. I have always tried to show love, be caring to everyone. They need to know that EVERYONE is able to be loved by us. I think I have realized how I haven't been taking that completely to heart. I instead put labels, decide if that is a label I can be comfortable around and then act/react. 

 

I put a challenge out there. Show love to EVERYONE. Reach out with a cup of coffee. Send an "I care about you" e-mail to that person you often avoid.If it's not us, Christians, that show them God's love.....who will it be?