jamie y. watkins

When #LoveWins

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jywatkins
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Last week, the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide. Naturally, it was an issue that brought on a variety of reactions, both positive and negative. My first thought was, it’s about time. It’s about time Love wins this one.

Chad and I were married almost six years ago, and it was beautiful, with God at the center of our ceremony. Our verse for the day was 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.”  Our marriage was based on love, a love we believe comes from God.

Like many, if not most, couples, we did a lot of planning and wondering and dreaming about that day in the months leading up to it. But one thing we didn’t have to wonder about or dream about was the possibility of it happening. We knew it could happen. We knew we could marry.  We knew we could solidify our love through this covenant, and spend the rest of our lives as husband and wife. In fact, we took it for granted, never even considering that this was a privilege. But it was. 

It’s an incredible thing that some think they have the authority to say who we can and cannot love.  Can and cannot love.  Life is so hard in so many ways. There’s so much hate and war and discrimination and rape and slavery and deceit in the world that it can knock you down, and we’re fighting over who we can and cannot love?

As I scroll through my Facebook feed, and listen to the news, and hear people make horrendous jokes using words that make my skin crawl, it’s no wonder to me that people run from the evangelical church and church as a whole. It makes me ashamed.

And yet, pushing back against every “How to Respond When the White House Celebrates Sin” article, I also see words of encouragement and support and love, and rainbow-colored profile pictures. And then I’m proud. I’m proud to see that Love wins anyway. Love wins in spite of. Love wins in the face of. Love wins.

Friends, it’s so much more important to be kind and loving, than it is to be “right” or even “righteous.”   It’s so much more important to add love to the world, than it is to try to conform others to your beliefs. It’s important to remember that when Love wins, God wins, because God is Love, and all love comes from God.

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“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:36-40

 

Comments

4 responses to “When #LoveWins”

  1. Chad Avatar
    Chad

    Wouldn’t it be nice if, as I believe God demonstrated most clearly through Jesus, Christians were always associated with love instead of sometimes love and often hate? I come across too many Christians that “love the sinner and hate the sin,” something that is nowhere even close to Biblical. Instead, we are called not to judge one another (Matt. 7:1), to love our enemies–that’s not to say the SCOTUS is the enemy of Christians but if you believe they are…(Matt. 5:44), and that love forgives and disregards the offenses of others (1 Peter 4:8 AMP). And perhaps more importantly : For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. (‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ NASB)

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    1. jywatkins Avatar
      jywatkins

      Well said 🙂

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  2. kelsueeis11 Avatar
    kelsueeis11

    I’ve been disappointed with some Christians questioning the salvation of other Christians because we don’t think a law is bad. I’m a Christian that thinks homosexuality is a sin (through my interpretation of Scripture which could be wrong and should even be studied further), but it isn’t a choice. I’m also a Christian that is comfortable with this court decision.

    We are predisposed to certain mannerisms and behaviors. Our character and desires are not solely defined through nurture. Yes nurture can play a part, but I think we diminish the importance of nature, in society and the church. As an American, I’m okay with a law that permits people to publicly devote themselves to each other, promising to uphold the other in sickness and in health. As a Christian I have interpreted Scripture and concluded that homosexuality isn’t what God had planned for the covenant. However, it doesn’t change how I’m supposed to react to my brothers and sisters, heterosexual or homosexual. I’m supposed to love as Christ loved. Regardless of our convictions, we should not be condemning but loving.

    I hope that homosexuals will see that there are Christians out there that do love them. We might not agree with their actions, but we are tolerant in that we will continue to express love and kindness, rather than judgement and hatred. I hope that all people will understand you can think something is wrong but still be gentle in how you treat those with whom you disagree.

    I hope I’ve conveyed my convictions without compromising love and the need to express Jesus’ grace to all because he has shown mercy and grace to me too, the worst of sinners (if only people could see the thoughts I wrestle with and the actions I do in secret, the things which only God knows and still forgives me for through Jesus Christ).

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    1. jywatkins Avatar
      jywatkins

      I think you do a great job conveying your thoughts without compromising on love. And that’s important! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this post and the court decision!

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