When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

— 1 Corinthians 13:11

As 2023 comes to an end and we look towards 2024, many of us will look back on the last year, some with fond memories, some with hurtful memories, and others with just memories. It’s the time of year when many will make resolutions; things they will do better in the new year. Several years ago, I quit trying to make resolutions. I found they were too hard to keep, and instead of waiting for the old year to end and the new to begin for time to make changes, I decided that change had to come when I was ready. The verse above, 1 Corinthians 13:11, says, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” This is more than just Paul telling us to grow up and be mature, I think of it as a way of saying “out with the old, in with the new.” Ephesians 4: 22-24 tells us to “put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

I want to put those verses into context. The full passage is sometimes referred to as “The New Man” and is Ephesians 4:17-24 which says:

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

“But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” 

In the last few years, more and more states have attacked the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, especially the trans in our community, with hateful and hurtful laws. We are told that we “should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Here Paul describes their minds as being futile and darkened, leading them away from God because of their ignorance. In my opinion, ignorance is better described as willful ignorance because people don’t want to know the truth. If you look at the books that are banned, they don’t only want to be ignorant of the real issues, but they also want to make sure others are ignorant of the issues. I know it’s cliché to say, but “knowledge is power” and “the pen is mightier than the sword,” but if knowledge and the written word are banned, then it is not mightier unless we fight censorship.

But it’s not just ignorance that Paul brings to the attention of the Corinthians. He says, that they have “blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Paul is warning against hardening our hearts and losing our sensitivity or empathy. He warns us not to be “overtaken by lewdness and greed.” Lewdness is subjective for a lot of people and can’t always be defined, but greed is definable. It is not only selfishness, but it is also denying help to others. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Paul says, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” The New King James Bible uses the word love, but the King James Bible it is not love but charity: the greatest of these is charity. Does the distinction matter? I don’t think so because, without a charitable heart, there is no love.

So, as the old year ends and the new year begins, instead of resolutions, let us look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, “Do I live my life the way Jesus would want me to live?” I am not talking about manmade morality standards, but those of Jesus. Have we alienated ourselves from God through ignorance? Have we blinded our hearts? Have we given over to lewdness? Have we become unclean because of greed? If you have, then look at that image in the mirror and tell yourself to change. We need to open up our minds and guard against the censorship of others. We need to open up our hearts to charity and love for all mankind, not just those who look or act like us. As for lewdness, I much prefer to not be crass for the sake of being crass, but you can define that how you want. What do you consider lewdness? and how can you guard against it? Are you judging others for lewdness because of manmade standards and prejudices? We need to be more charitable to others. Remember, love and charity are interchangeable in the Bible.

We can be virtuous in the new year. If we believe in God, we have faith. Believing in God and trying to make the world a better place gives us hope. If we do what we can to help others through love and charity, then we have the third virtue. We don’t need our resolutions to be walking so many steps a day or losing weight, giving up cake or something else that we feel bad about consuming, but our resolutions should be broader: what can I do to make myself a better person so that I can make the world a better place.

The Birth of Jesus

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

—Luke 2:1-7

The Shepherds and the Angels

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

—Luke 2:8-21

The Three Wise Men

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, “In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

“And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.”

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.”

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

—Matthew 2:1-12

The New Testament contains two Christmas stories, not one. They appear in Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2. They have some points in common. However, there are many differences in their characters, plot, messages, and tone. In the verses above, I have chosen only to use the verses directly related to Christ’s birth, the shepherds, and the Magi (the three wise men). In the Christmas story, we all know, that Mary and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be counted in a census so Rome can levy taxes throughout the empire. Once they get to Bethlehem, they find that there is no room in the inn and the baby Jesus is born in a stable and placed in a manger. His humble birth is celebrated by choirs of angels and shepherds, and he is given precious gifts by the mysterious Magi. This version freely blends material from the two biblical accounts. It has become enshrined in Christmas carols, nativity scenes, and readings during the Christmas season.

Matthew wrote his Gospel in the late first century CE, perhaps in Antioch. He was a Jewish Christian writing primarily for other Jewish Christians. He wanted to show that the legacy of biblical Israel was best fulfilled in the community formed around the memory of Jesus of Nazareth. Now that the Jerusalem temple had been destroyed and Roman control over Jews was even tighter, all Jews had to face the question: how is the heritage of Israel as God’s people to be carried on? Matthew’s answer lay in stressing the Jewishness of Jesus. This setting helps to explain why Matthew told his Christmas story as he did. He begins with a genealogy that relates Jesus to Abraham and David, while including several women of dubious reputation who nonetheless highlight the new thing God was doing in Jesus. Next, he explains how the virginal conception of Jesus through the Holy Spirit fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy (7:14), and how Jesus the Son of God became the legal Son of David through Joseph. Besides Jesus, Joseph is the main character in Mathew’s Christmas story. Guided by dreams like his biblical namesake, he is the divinely designated protector of Mary and her child Jesus.

The Magi story in Matthew 2 is part of a larger sequence that involves danger for the newborn child and his parents. When King Herod hears about the child “King of the Jews” as a potential rival for his power, he seeks to have Jesus killed. As a result, the family flees to Egypt, while Herod orders the execution of all boys under two years old in the area of Bethlehem. Only after Herod’s death does the family return to the Land of Israel, though to Nazareth rather than Bethlehem. At each point in their itinerary, the family is guided by dreams and texts from the Jewish Scriptures. In his Christmas story, Matthew wants us to learn who Jesus is (Son of Abraham, Son of David, Son of God) and how he got from Bethlehem to Nazareth. Thus, he establishes the Jewish identity of Jesus, while foreshadowing the mystery of the cross and the inclusion of non-Jews in the church. The tone is serious, somber, and foreboding.

Luke wrote his Gospel about the same time as Matthew did (but independently), in the late first century CE. He composed two volumes, one about Jesus’ life and death (the Gospel of Luke), and another about the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome (Acts of the Apostles). In Luke’s narrative, there are many characters besides Jesus: Zechariah and Elizabeth, John the Baptist, Mary, and Simeon and Anna, as well as various angels and shepherds. These figures represent the best in Jewish piety. Thus, Luke creates an ideal picture of the Israel into which Jesus was born. Furthermore, Luke seems intent on comparing John the Baptist and Jesus. His point is that while John is great, Jesus is even greater. So, the announcement of John’s birth as the forerunner of the Messiah is balanced by the announcement of Jesus’ birth as the Son of the Most High (1:5-25; 1:26-56). And so, the account of John’s birth and naming is balanced by the birth and naming of Jesus as Savior, Messiah, and Lord (1:57-80; 2:1-40).

Luke portrays Jesus and his family as observant with regard to Jewish laws and customs. With his narrative, Luke wants to root Jesus in the best of Israelite piety, while hinting at Jesus’ significance for all the peoples of the world. That is why Luke’s genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38) goes back beyond Abraham all the way to Adam. Luke’s infancy narrative has provided the framework for the traditional “Christian story.” Its tone is upbeat, celebratory, and even romantic.

Since the beginning of Christianity, there has been a debate about when Jesus was born. Why do we celebrate Jesus’s birth on December 25? The simplest answer is that early Christian leaders incorporated known holidays with Christian holidays: the Winter Solstice/Christmas, the Spring Equinox, etc. Not everyone agrees on the date being December 25^th. In the third century, the date of birth of Jesus was a subject of great interest, with early Christian writers suggesting various dates. Around AD 200, Clement of Alexandria wrote:

There are those who have determined not only the year of our Lord’s birth, but also the day; and they say that it took place in the 28th year of Augustus, and in the 25th day of [the Egyptian month] Pachon [May 20] […] Further, others say that He was born on the 24th or 25th of Pharmuthi [April 20 or 21].

A late fourth-century sermon by Saint Augustine explains why the winter solstice was a fitting day to celebrate Christ’s birth:

Hence it is that He was born on the day which is the shortest in our earthly reckoning and from which subsequent days begin to increase in length. He, therefore, who bent low and lifted us up chose the shortest day, yet the one whence light begins to increase.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders.

—Deuteronomy 33:12

Beloved is a term of affection common to both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, beloved primarily comes from two Hebrew words: ahebh, a verb which means to love or to lust; dodh, a noun which means an object of love. Both terms are elevated in the Bible as the equivalent of the Greek word agapetos, which means more than the erotic sense of love and emotion but includes intellectual good will, self-giving, and spiritual love. “Beloved” appears forty-four times in the Old Testament, twenty-eight of which are in the Song of Solomon. In the New Testament “beloved” is used exclusively as spiritual love. Ancient Greek philosophy differentiated the Modern English word love into six forms: agápe, érōs, philía, philautía, storgē, and xenía.

1. Agápe (ἀγάπη): brotherly love, charity; the love of God for person and of person for God.
2. Éros (ἔρως): love, mostly of the sexual passion.
3. Philia (φιλία): affectionate regard, friendship, usually between equals.
4. Storge (στοργή): love, affection, especially the love between parents and children.
5. Philautia (φιλαυτία): to love oneself or regard for one’s own happiness.
6. Xenia (ξενία) the concept of hospitality.

The New Testament speaks mainly of agapetos (beloved) and can mean any or all of the six Ancient Greek definitions of the word love. Agapetos appears forty-seven times in the New Testament. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, God identifies Jesus, His “beloved Son.” The meaning implies “chosen,” an act of will rather than of feeling. Paul made use of the term thirty-two times in all his letters except Galatians and Titus, with reference to many individuals named and to the “brethren.” It appears twelve times in the epistles of John.

In other words, “beloved” is an important concept in the Bible. It is a key principle that God is trying to teach us about His kind of love. Often one of the hardest things for a person to do is to accept unconditional love. Perhaps it’s because the world often displays a love that is contingent on the recipient’s behavior or form of repayment of the love. As LGBTQ+ Christians, many of us are familiar with conditional love. We are told we are loved only if we follow the rules that man have made about love, notice I did not say the rules God has made about love. Conditional love causes many of us to struggle with the concept and acceptance unconditional love.

The Dutch theologian Henri J.M. Nouwen said, “Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power can indeed present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of the much larger temptation to self-rejection. When we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions. The real trap, however, is self-rejection. As soon as someone accuses me or criticizes me, as soon as I am rejected, left alone, or abandoned, I find myself thinking, “Well, that proves once again that I am a nobody.” … [My dark side says,] I am no good… I deserve to be pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the “Beloved.” Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.”

We are all the beloved of God. Deuteronomy 33:12 tells us, “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, whoshelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders.” In Daniel 9:23, the angel Gabriel tells Daniel, “I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved.” In Romans 9:25, Paul tells the Christian community in Rome that God welcomes both Jews and Gentiles, i.e., everyone, and quotes from Hosea that God will “call them [His] people, who were not [His] people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.” Even more that the unconditional love of God, He tells us not only that we are “beloved” by God, but also how we should love ourselves. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul tells us, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” In 2 Peter 3:17, we are told, “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.” In this verse, Peter says it is the wicked who put conditions on love and cause us not to love ourselves.

In his epistles, John beautifully tells us about Christian love. In 1 John 4:7, he says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” Later in 1 John 4:11, he says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” And in 3 John 1:5, he says, “Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers.” The holiday season as well as all year long, we should remember that we are the beloved of God. All mankind is the beloved of God, and we should treat each other in a way that shows our love for mankind, but we also must realize that we must also love ourselves. How can we love others unconditionally, if we put conditions on the love we should have for ourselves? We are God’s beloved, and as such, we must love unconditionally, that includes philautia, or self-love. So, I challenge you to not only show the love you have for others in this world, but also to love yourself and know that you are worthy of unconditional love.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.

—Revelation 3:15

 

Often, we know why some people are evil, but do you wonder why people do good? For some, it is to make others (or themselves) feel good. Often, it is to try to become a better person. And, of course, some do so to try to make the world a better place. What happens when we step back and do nothing? We are being passive and leaving the world to its own evils. Desmond Tutu said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

Jesus told his followers that they have only one reason to do good: to mirror the character of his Father into the world. In order to understand Jesus’ approach to doing good, we need to see that there are two huge differences between the way the world looks at good and evil and how God does. Most people have strong opinions about what are good actions and what are evil actions, but most will remain neutral. They may recognize good and evil, but they do nothing to stop the evil, and often do nothing to elevate the good. Most of the time people are just living their life, doing neutral things, and then every so often a situation comes up where they have to choose whether to do something good or something evil; both of which require about the same amount of effort.  Think most people believe it’s hard to be evil unless you really mean to be.  Most of the time we are basically average people, neither good nor evil, but we are capable of doing good when the right situation comes up.

I’ve told this story before, but it was the first day of school, and I was in seventh grade. A group of guys were calling me names and bullying me. There were several new students that year, and everyone seemed to be trying to show that they were cool or whatever and were doing this by picking on me: the quiet, shy one. As I was being taunted, one of the new guys spoke up and told the other guys to leave me alone. He stuck his neck out and risked losing his “cool factor” by not being neutral or joining in on the bullying, but by telling the bullies to stop. I’ve always thought that took real courage, but this guy also had a lot of charisma, and unlike me and many others at that age, he seemed to be so confident. He never lost his “cool factor.” In fact, he was always one of the most popular guys in school. I never once remember him allowing anyone to bully me if he was around. He was a genuinely good guy, and though I’m friends with him on Facebook, I really don’t know what kind of person he is these days, but I hope he’s still a good guy.

The Bible does not recognize there being three categories of being: good, neutral, and evil.  Instead, it recognizes only two: good and evil. If one is not doing good, then one must be doing evil. Psalm 34:14 says, “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” In Mark 3:4, Jesus asked the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?” The question is: what is one’s orientation toward others—good or evil? He didn’t give them the option of being neutral, even though the world says that’s what most of us are. What the world calls neutral the Bible calls evil. Why?  Because doing the neutral thing of living as if you and your concerns are the central reality of your existence necessarily makes God second.

The word the Bible uses for that is “evil.” In Matthew 12:30, Jesus talked about the unpardonable sin, “The one who is not with Me is against Me; and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.” If we do not actively seek to choose good and combat evil, then we are not being neutral, we are, in fact, doing evil. LGBTQ+ people are facing attacks from from people across America. It may not be a new thing, but that doesn’t diminish the evil that it is. For nearly the last decade, since Donald Trump came to dominate the Republican Party, bullying and selfishness have become the rallying cris of Republicans.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Martin Niemöller, a once prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany, sympathized with many Nazi ideas and supported radically right-wing political movements. However, after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, Niemöller became an outspoken critic of Hitler’s interference in the Protestant Church. He spent the last eight years of Nazi rule, from 1937 to 1945, in Nazi prisons and concentration camps. Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for his postwar statement, which begins “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” However we identify ourselves,, we can’t sit on the sidelines and do nothing. We have to actively work to better this world for everyone. While it’s never a time to declare neutrality, there are times when neutrality can do so much more harm than good. We are in one of those times.speak up, vote, do anything you can to help make this world a better place for all. We don’t have the luxury of being neutral and watching the world from a distance, because the evil that is building steam may not be directly affecting you right now, but it will. Right now, it’s probably only harming people you do not know. Eventually though, it will harm the ones you love, and it will harm you as well. Don’t declare neutrality and sit back and watch until it’s too late. Do something now!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

— Ephesians 1:2

I saw a meme on Facebook the other day that said, “If Paul saw the church in America today, we would be getting a letter.” The letters, or epistles, that Paul wrote provide an insight into the beliefs and controversies of early Christianity. The Pauline Epistles are the thirteen books of the New Testament attributed to Paul the Apostle, although most scholars believe that Paul only wrote seven of the thirteen epistles attributed to him. Paul wrote to the Christian communities in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica. Paul also wrote to three of his followers: Timothy in Ephesus, Titus in Crete, and Philemon in Colossae. 

I think Paul would be appalled if he saw Christianity in America today. He would probably be appalled at most Christians in the world who have taken so much of his words in the epistles and twisted them to suit their own desires to condemn others and subjugate them to conform to their version of Christianity. He would be dismayed at the hatefulness that emanates from churches in America. He would be disappointed in how fractured Christianity is in America with its seemingly endless variety of Protestant denominations. The early churches that Paul wrote to were not uniformly following the teachings of Christ. They had adapted to local prejudices and practices in opposition to the universality of love and acceptance that Jesus had preached.

Paul wanted uniformity and universality in the church. He sought to encourage Christians to follow the teachings of Jesus, not of men who found various ways to exclude others. Each of the early churches had their own problems. The best example of this is in the two epistles to Corinth, in which he addresses the various problems with the local church, who were following the desires of men instead of those of Jesus. In the name of Christ, they were actually turning their backs on the teachings of Christ for their own gain, much like Christians in America today.

Paul stressed unity and acceptance by Christians. Specifically, in 1 Corinthians 13, often known as the love chapter, Paul describes the characteristics of true love. He says that love is not selfish or self-centered; it is kind, humble, forgiving, courteous, not easily angered, respectful, trusting, positive and hopeful. Love also gives us spiritual resilience and patience so that it willingly “endures all things” to obey and serve God. Paul points out that envy and competition create division, as was the case in the Corinthian church. Love is the great unifier. If Paul were to see the state of Christianity in America today, instead of being a great unifier, he would see an uncharitable, greedy, power-hungry, hateful, and discriminatory group of people who work more to exclude than to include others.

The importance of Paul’s writings should be invaluable to Christianity. Paul also took the Gospel message to the Gentile (non-Jewish) world, leaving instructions and inspiration that continue to change lives today. Paul wanted Christianity to be open to all people and to advocate for peace and loving relationships with one another. Some of Paul’s letters are controversial because they are taken out of context and are used by many Christians in America to exclude, not include, people from Christianity. For example when Paul discusses the harmful practice of pederasty (in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy) or pagan orgies (Romans), teachings that are used to condemn LGBTQ+ people when they do not even address LGBTQ+ communities. 

So, yes, I do believe if Paul saw the church in America today, evangelical leaders in America would be getting a letter. Too much of Christianity has strayed from the teachings of Christ and is being used as a bludgeon to oppress the less fortunate and those perceived as different instead of uplifting them. It is used to divide people instead of unite them. Since I moved to New England, the heart of Puritan beliefs that are used to oppress others, I’ve always found it interesting that those same denominations (Puritans, Pilgrims, etc.) that were once used to exclude and punish those who were not conforming to the desires of religious leaders are the most welcoming of modern Christian denominations, and those who were more open and accepting (Baptists) have become the most exclusionary and repressive of the denominations in America.

 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The Thanksgiving holiday in the United States is on a Thursday. A lot of people see the holiday in terms of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, turkey and all the good food that comes with it, or football. However, even if that’s the case, remember that it is a holiday to give thanks. When is it easiest to be thankful? The answer is usually when things are going well. While it might be easier to praise and thank God when you are most happy and comfortable, it is just as important, if not more important, to thank Him in the midst of trials.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul tells the church at Thessalonica to rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances. This can be hard to do, especially when things aren’t going well. So why do we have to give thanks? Why can’t we give in to cynicism and thanklessness? Because God calls us to a life of continual thankfulness. It is God’s will that we give thanks. This is not to say we need to be always smiling. Sometimes things in life are bad, and we should mourn or be upset, but it is in these moments that God asks us to thank Him anyway. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” The trials in our lives are not pointless. God has a purpose for everything, even the bad. We might not be able to see the good, but God can see the whole picture, and we can gain hope in knowing that our suffering is not in vain, but rather, part of God’s greater purpose.

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” No matter how we feel at any given moment, we are still in control of what we say and do, and we should use this opportunity to point our lives back to God. A defining characteristic of a Christian is how he or she responds to trials. By finding the good in the bad and giving thanks despite the negative circumstances, Christians set themselves apart from the rest of the world while simultaneously lifting their own spirits by fixing their eyes on God instead of on the world.

So, this Thanksgiving, whether you see the blessing abounding in your life or you are struggling to find anything to be thankful for, look to God. He blesses us with grace and salvation and wants us to praise be thankful for being a child of God and trusting Him and His purpose for our lives now and forever.

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

  “God resists the proud,
  But gives grace to the humble.”

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

— 1 Peter 5:5-11

Often times, those who hate the LGBTQ+ community are the loudest and most vocal in their hatred. Sadly, because of the centuries of Christian persecution of LGBTQ+ people, it is acceptable to far too many people. Yet, other forms of discrimination, such as racism, are almost universally condemned. There is nothing humble about homophobia. Those who hate LGBTQ+ are hateful and loud about their hatred. As 1 Peter 5:8 says, our “adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,” and tells us to “be sober, be vigilant” because he is “seeking whom he may devour.”

Quite frankly, most of the homophobes of the world want us dead and are often not ashamed to say so. They want to ruin the lives of LGBTQ+ people. This week, the small-town mayor of Smith Station, Alabama, who was also a Baptist minister in Phenix City, committed suicide after a Christofascist hate group calling itself “1819 News” (1819 refers to the year Alabama became a state), published pictures of him wearing women’s clothes and makeup. The Phenix City School Superintendent Dr. Larry DiChiara wrote in a Facebook post, “I am so angry right now and heartbroken. I witnessed a good man be publicly ridiculed and crucified over the last few days to the point that he just took his own life today. I just want to ask you people who thought it humorous to publicly ridicule him, ‘Are you happy now?’ What crime did he commit?” Sadly, I have no doubt that those who publicly ridiculed him are happy.

The Alabama Baptist State Convention put out a statement that said, “We have become aware of the alleged unbiblical behavior related to the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Phenix City. We are praying for the leaders of the church family as they seek to determine the truth concerning these accusations.” The Baptist Convention referred to this man “wearing women’s clothes and makeup” as “alleged unbiblical behavior.” Yet, they were careful not to condemn 1819 News, the ones who made the pictures public, as committing what should be obvious to all Christians as “unbiblical behavior.”

Some might think this man, who was a Baptist minister, is not worthy of our pity because he lived a secret life, but that secret life made him happy. I know how conflicting and confusing it can be for someone to believe they are being forced to live a secret life. He probably felt he had no other choice. If someone had outed me while I worked at a small private school in Alabama, I’d have been devastated and humiliated. I’m not sure what I would have done. The internal pressures this man felt were there because of centuries of hatred for who he really was. I’m sure he had enough self-hatred without the help of 1819 News. I don’t know what kind of preacher this man was, but I hope that he was the kind who preached about love and kindness and that “sufferings are experienced by [our] brotherhood in the world.”

On the Wednesday night (southern churches often have Wednesday night services), the minister took to the pulpit at First Baptist Church to denounce the post about him, claiming he was a “victim of an internet attack.” He then read from the 23rd Psalm as he delivered a short sermon. “God will always protect you, take care of you,” he said. “He will see you through anything, absolutely anything.”

Our adversaries who walk about like a roaring lion, seeking whom they may devour are not humble people. Christ taught over and over that we should be humble. Jesus was clear in the Beatitudes:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” (Matthew 5:3-11)

Homophobic Christofascists hate us to the point that they want us dead and are more than happy to drive us to kill ourselves. They ruined this man’s life through their hatred, and while they should be prosecuted for what they did and charged with no less than accessory to murder, I know nothing will come of it. Yet, this man died because he was doing something that made him happy and did not harm anyone else. Sadly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is a homophobic Christofascists. Like so many Republicans, especially those who are ardent supporters of the orange traitor, they walk about like roaring lions, seeking whom they may devour.

Remember, God “gives grace to the humble.”