We all have a story.
Anyone who knows me, knows my story, knows that beneath my white skin I have suffered prejudices, rejection, being misunderstood and dismissed and knows that my brokenness has created an incredible love for Jesus in my heart.
Because of my story of brokenness, I have learned to be”‘poor in spirit” and rejoice in the freedom and acceptance that comes from being in the Kingdom of God.
I have learned my value before the One. Knowing that He values me for being me, I have the freedom to value others for being them.
Yesterday was an incredible day for my heart.
Yesterday, I had the honor to meet a new friend whose story was different than mine, whose skin color was different than mine, whose assignment is different than mine, but who had the same Heavenly Father as me. As sisters in Christ, we sat and shared the beauty of His love for us that allows us to love one another. For three beautiful hours, in the midst of turmoil in our world, we sat together and valued each other. We listened, we laughed, we cried, we celebrated, we prayed.
We wept over the enemies plans to destroy a people group that has reached back thousands of years. But I felt like I was beholding a beautiful butterfly setting her feet on the twig of her generation and unfolding her wings to release the word of the Lord in prayer and to be a trumpet of justice that speaks with the sounds of love.
In the Song of Songs, we learn that the King does not define us by our struggles or our past. He sees what He has created us to be and calls it beautiful. He knows we are weak, but He doesn’t dismiss us as hypocrites because we struggle. He doesn’t call our love false because we lose our way sometime.
Our country has just gone through an incredible crucible that has exposed the weaknesses in the ecclesia, the Church of God. While hearts have been exposed to reveal the hidden belief systems that hinder the power of God in our life, the wounds have been deep as we saw, we heard, things that surprised us about fellow believers. If for a moment, we forgot that they have value to Jesus, that He doesn’t define them by the weaknesses in their story, we may be tempted to dismiss them or label them or judge them without love. In that place of religious haughtiness, we may even not want to take the time to find out why they feel the way they do? Why they chose to vote the way they did?
Believe it or not, underneath that decision was a reason. If that reason did not reflect the truth of God’s word, then love would take the time to validate their heart and hear their story.
Today my heart is grieved for Hillary as a human today with a broken heart. Consequences for her actions, justice for her behavior, should intently be interceded for by the ecclesia, not out of vindictive, nasty intentions, but because we are sincerely concerned about her soul and her eternity. There are a lot of her supporters who today are lost in the fear of their tomorrows. Can our compassion embrace them with faith to comfort their hearts?
We did not elect a pastor or a Savior but a man who wants what is best for our country according to a Christian-Judeo mindset.
Last night I was reminded of the policies in our country that do not line up with the word of God. The responses today from both sides are not wise or line up with the wishes of the King above the kingdoms of this word. As the ecclesia, the Church of God, we don’t belong to the kingdom of this world but to a higher Kingdom.
“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him;
A lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies,
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” Proverbs 6:16-19
I truly believe God has given the church of America, space to unify across denominations, across people groups to embrace the real story, the story of the cross and the truth of living as a disciple. The danger of cheap grace is that it steals true healing for hearts by putting a Band-Aid instead of getting to the core of the wound and allowing Jesus to restore wholeness.
Are we valuing the hearts of all people, like the King values them? Are we more concerned about being right according to our story and the pain of our past, than the eternity of the soul before us?
Now is the time to not gloat like one practices “folly,” but to have wisdom and to represent the King of Kings well to our world.
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