wow

So over the past couple of days I was informed that a friend of mine is gay. This is quite a shocking discover for me. I really never would have guessed. It's just not something that you really ever think would happen. This is a guy who had a huge impact in my life. He was a spiritual leader in my life, he was a mentor in a lot of ways, and then we just kind of lost touch. And then I hear from my wife about this, and my heart hurts for him but also for the students that will have all kinds of questions and confusion. It hurts. I also hurt because he seems sure that God is okay with this, that the Bible doesn't mean what it means. As a Bible guy that makes me so angry because it just doesn't work, but it also hurts my heart because some where there is deception that got into his head and his heart. I also hurt because of the way that people have reacted to this news. Some of his oldest friends seem to have turned their backs on their friendship. Is that how Jesus would have responded? I have been going through 1 john with transit and the two things that keep being rehearsed again and again is that you can't be in God's light and willfully continue to sin, and Christians don't get to choose who they love. We need to love everybody. I don't think that having a prayer meeting, or debating all the scriptures is going to win anyone over to the faith, or lead anyone out of homosexuality. What is the most promising course? Loving people the way that Jesus loved the woman at the well, or the woman caught in adultery, or Nicodemus, or Mary Magdeline, or any of the disciples. Does my heart still hurt? Yes. Do I have any real answers? No. Do I know what my miission is? Love.