I truly miss it when there is no blogging.  My problem is not with having ideas for writing but with making the time to put it down.  2014 is becoming a hectic year so far with the various stuff that I do daily.  But if anyone reads or stumbles across this place then let me say that we are going to be consistent in writing.  I need it as a tool to help me think through ideas and such.  My time management is so much better than ever but this is one area that got left out lately.  So let's begin with something on the controversial side just for the fun of it.

Maybe it's just me but it sure seems like more and more people are coming out as gay lately.  I sometimes wonder if there is a race somewhere for people to state their own preferences.  Actors, athletes and other public figures come out almost daily now.  It's enough to make you wonder if we are missing something amid all the hurrah.  Maybe people are realizing what they prefer but I also wonder if there is pressure to make such statements.  We now have a gay basketball player active in the NBA.  Another athlete hopes to make his mark in the NFL draft.  No doubt a few more will declare their identity before this week ends.

We in the church face pressures with all of this uproar.  Critics will accuse us of using hate speech should we not fall in line with the culture.  Even a nuanced and generous view of scripture is immediately designated hate speech if it does not affirm the gay lifestyle.  The irony is people then hate the traditional Christian for believing in scripture as they say we are haters.  I do not believe we need to apologize for an honest approach to scripture that does not affirm such behavior.  But there is a huge need for us to evaluate how we say what we believe.  This is not yielding up to culture to me.  Saying that we do not believe scripture approves of the gay agenda is well within our rights.  But if we are to gain a conversation with those that disagree will call for some serious praying and thinking.  We tend to avoid doing either if at all possible.

It does not matter to me one bit should an athlete succeed while being homosexual.  Part of that is my libertarian leaning but the other part is that being gay is not at the core of the issue.  Should this draft hopeful become a star is not going to change my thought on scripture.  We also have to come to grips with moving past genuine hate that does flavor far too much of what we say on the topic.  These are real life people with all of the faults that trouble any individual.  Using labels or calling people names is not going to be a satisfactory solution.  Our hearts need to be radically honest about our faults before we begin tossing around ugly words.  What would be my response if someone close to me came out as gay?  Can my mind and heart find grace to accept without sacrificing my faith?  It is easy to throw out labels at those we do not know until it hits home in a concrete fashion.

Jesus dealt with sinners of His day in far different methods than we tend to do.  He is very much honest with them about their sin.  No one can say Jesus had His head in the sand when it came to the culture.  But there is always a huge amount of grace in those conversations.  He seems less concerned with behavior than in belonging to God in that grace we often sing about.  Can we really preach that same gospel while driving people away from the grace they so desperately need?  My concern with all of this recent coming out is less about the lifestyle as it is about people needing the Lord.  Our first calling is to point sinners to a Savior who loves more than we normally realize.  Every single person on this planet needs to grasp just who Jesus is without all of the stigma we can add to Him.  Jesus died for my sins even if they aren't as out there as for some people.  But we do know the blood and the cross reminds us how much Jesus cares.  May we someday grow closer to that love than we toss out labels.

Bro. Trey