Justice for All

I am participating in this month’s synchroblog (a blog where numerous bloggers blog on the same topic) which can be found at http://synchroblog.wordpress.com. This month’s synchroblog topic is “Gay Marriage.” I respectfully post knowing that we all are not going to agree, but this is how I feel and is not necessarily the views of my place of employment.

I just returned from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) National Youth Gathering which was held in Detroit, Michigan. 30,000 Youth and adults converged on the city of Detroit as we heard their stories and served their community. We also heard wonderful speakers that helped us learn what it means to proclaim justice, build bridges and offer hope to all of God’s people.

The seven youth along with all of the youth gathered continually gave me hope for the future. They want to make a difference. They want to show God’s love to all of God’s people. They want to proclaim justice. According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, justice is defined as “the quality of being just, impartial, or fair.”
So, my friends, what is fair? To them, fair is showing equality to all of God’s people even those that our different than us.

As I look at our society, I cannot help but think about how we all could use a lesson in marriage and relationships. Statistics show that the divorce rate is high. And many members of society are getting married way to young. Yet so many think it is wrong for two men or two women to get married. If these two can provide a stable home and show love to a child, do they too not deserve the same rights as a married heterosexual couple? I have a friend who is in a committed same sex relationship and has a son with her spouse. All I have ever seen is them show love to their child.

I realize that we all come down on both sides of this issue. Yet, my friends, Jesus was the one who was continually showing love to all of God’s people. Jesus was never afraid to turn the world upside down and sit and break bread with tax collectors and sinners. In a post I wrote in May of 2013 here after Minnesota passed the Freedom to marry act, I shared these words: “I don’t know what Jesus will say when we all get to heaven, but what I do know is Jesus always chose love. Jesus was always the one crossing the line onto the other side. Yet I know there are people hurting tonight because of this decision…people who don’t understand. I keep coming back to Jesus’ words that night in the upper room…’that they all may be one.’ Jesus spoke these words to his disciples that last night in the upper room even though they were far from being one themselves.” (To read that post, click here: That They All May Be One)
The truth is that we are not always going to agree with each other. Yet Jesus calls us to cling to the promise that we all may be one…trusting in this One who calls us to put our differences aside and calls us to proclaim justice to all of God’s people. In all actuality, I find myself clinging to the promises of our youth who are continually ready and willing to rise up together, to proclaim justice, offer hope and build bridges with all of God’s people.
 Their actions remind me that the church is not dead, but rather is a living breathing church that is ready to shower the world with God’s love putting aside their differences and fighting for what is right. They are always ready to proclaim justice and build bridges with God’s people despite their differences. Thanks be to God for a generation that isn’t afraid to stand together and live out the words that Jesus said in the upper room that night “that we all may be one.” And as one community in Christ, we are called to “Rise up together.”

Read other synchrobloggers here: (You will find varying opinions on this topic. Be kind!)

* Justin Steckbauer: Gay Marriage, LGBTQ Issues, and the Christian Worldview
* Leah Sophia: Marriage Equality Again
* Tony Ijeh: Thoughts on Gay Marriage
* Tim Nichols: Imago Dei: Loving the Different
* Carlos Shelton: About Gay Marriage
* Wesley Rostoll: Some Things to Consider Regarding Gay Marriage

* KW Leslie: Same Sex Marriage

2 thoughts on “Justice for All

  1. Great post, Tara. No matter WHAT people believe about the issue, the truth is that divorce is destroying the sanctity of marriage in churches, not same-sex couples. If only the church would cry out against divorce with the same intensity they do gay marriage! I always think of that Casting Crowns song … "Nobody knows what we're for, only what we're against."

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