In Our Midst
Over the weekend I met one of the speakers and had a few moments to talk to him personally. I detected that he might be a believer and I was right. I love 'faith radar'. :) Anyhow, in the time I had to bend his ear, he put me on to his wife's ministry site. I immediately went to it and sat in the conference, reading about this ministry...and crying.
It's not like there weren't 100+ people around me and I could be covert in my emotional response, but I really didn't care. The Spirit's touch on this site and this ministry is so very evident.
Before you hop over there, let me tell you that I resonate much of what you will read. The Church as a whole has done a poor job (IMO) of bringing healing to victims of abortion and other sexual sins--in effect, we create a second victimization for these people. Yes, I know the argument that these victims have "chosen" this path, but I believe this sentiment lacks compassion and love--the very things that Jesus modeled and commanded us to have. When we consider all the factors that go in to the decision to abort a child or the circumstances in which sexual sins are committed, we step in to the place of those who are in an impossible situation and can't seem to see Hope or a way out and we leave judgmentalism behind. Not to mention that many sexual sins which affect people aren't always the fault of those suffering from them--there is a ripple effect from all sin, and oftentimes there are innocent victims who do not receive appropriate support or healing inside the Church.
Sometimes this lack of healing and condemnation that victims receive comes from an inability to be honest and a discomfort with personal issues. What's a shame is that we don't seem to desire to overcome our dishonesty and discomfort and we let others believe they are alone and unique in their suffering. When we do this, we express a message that damages more than the people who need Jesus' love and healing, we damage those who watch and observe and learn tacitly, as well. Our children watch, listen, and learn--by what we say and do, and by what we don't say and don't do. So the opportunity to perpetuate our discomfort and dishonesty manifests itself to the next generation. And the love of Jesus goes unspoken in these situations.
So now that you have my mini-sermon on showing compassion and understanding to those who have sinned (and which one of us hasn't?), go visit In Our Midst. I think you'll be touched and amazed and hopefully, your eyes will be opened to another side of the abortion-issue. And with those open eyes, may you see the victims who are the walking-wounded of this hot-topic with the compassion and love that Jesus does.
It's not like there weren't 100+ people around me and I could be covert in my emotional response, but I really didn't care. The Spirit's touch on this site and this ministry is so very evident.
Before you hop over there, let me tell you that I resonate much of what you will read. The Church as a whole has done a poor job (IMO) of bringing healing to victims of abortion and other sexual sins--in effect, we create a second victimization for these people. Yes, I know the argument that these victims have "chosen" this path, but I believe this sentiment lacks compassion and love--the very things that Jesus modeled and commanded us to have. When we consider all the factors that go in to the decision to abort a child or the circumstances in which sexual sins are committed, we step in to the place of those who are in an impossible situation and can't seem to see Hope or a way out and we leave judgmentalism behind. Not to mention that many sexual sins which affect people aren't always the fault of those suffering from them--there is a ripple effect from all sin, and oftentimes there are innocent victims who do not receive appropriate support or healing inside the Church.
Sometimes this lack of healing and condemnation that victims receive comes from an inability to be honest and a discomfort with personal issues. What's a shame is that we don't seem to desire to overcome our dishonesty and discomfort and we let others believe they are alone and unique in their suffering. When we do this, we express a message that damages more than the people who need Jesus' love and healing, we damage those who watch and observe and learn tacitly, as well. Our children watch, listen, and learn--by what we say and do, and by what we don't say and don't do. So the opportunity to perpetuate our discomfort and dishonesty manifests itself to the next generation. And the love of Jesus goes unspoken in these situations.
So now that you have my mini-sermon on showing compassion and understanding to those who have sinned (and which one of us hasn't?), go visit In Our Midst. I think you'll be touched and amazed and hopefully, your eyes will be opened to another side of the abortion-issue. And with those open eyes, may you see the victims who are the walking-wounded of this hot-topic with the compassion and love that Jesus does.
posted by Sue | 3:23 PM
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