I’ve read post after post pontificating on the situation at hand.
The facts confuse me enough…and opinion after opinion seems to muddy the water more and more.
(Side note: I have absolutely no interest in seeing pictures as proof!)
And yet in the past few days, I have(with more clarity than ever before) re-affirmed many of my own beliefs.
I can’t claim to have all the answers.
Or even really understand all the ramifications of this event.
But, as I have said before, I know one thing is certain:
Celebrating death (of any one – no matter how despicable they may be) makes me a little squimish.
And though that’s how I feel, I can certainly see the other point(s) of view.
I know that I don’t agree with many of you(on this and a variety of other things).
However, I am still very thankful and grateful for your opinions.
Because it is in challenging one another that we think and grow – as people and as Christians.
What’s hard for me, however, is how often debates and discussions become arguments and accusations.
And then our oh-so-human emotions get in the way and garble it all up.
The moment feelings start being hurt, people shut down.
I’m all for healthy discussion until someone sucker-punches my beliefs.
(And I realize that goes both ways…and so I try not to negate anyone else’s beliefs.)
But the take-home message here isn’t about beliefs or ramifications or discussions.
The take-home message is that we are all created in God’s image.
And the thing that I love most about being created in the image of someone
who is full of love, grace, peace, wisdom and understanding
is that I know that I have those things inside me.
And I know that you –
and every other person ever created –
also have those things inside of them.
(Isn’t that wonderful?)
And that maybe, just maybe, we aren’t as different as we think we are.
But at the same time I also know that God is multi-faceted.
And therefore, being created in God’s image, our world is full of diversity-
Of culture, of race, of religion, of beliefs, of ideas.
This is why I believe that God, with all the knowing and creating and understanding,
Managed to make a variety of people in a variety of circumstances and a variety of places.
And then managed to figure out the best way to connect with each person in each circumstance in each place.
God loves each of us – no matter our thoughts, our actions, our (sometimes misguided) beliefs.
And God is aware that we won’t – we can’t – even begin to comprehend all that there is to be known.
And so God reaches down to each of us in our own way
And holds us close
And says, “It is good.”
But, psssst!
Hey, God!
If I make it to heaven and you tell me I got it all wrong,
Please be with me and bring me to understanding.
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Amen.
