Hebrews 12:1 - Community Connectedness

As I lay in bed this morning, I started thinking about the interconnectedness of people and how throughout the ages, writers have drawn people together by making connections and inspiring their readers with things done by people of the past. Writer's draw these two groups of people who share something in common, but are separated by time and space into a community. When you look at it up close, the people may find themselves to be very different, but on some level, they are connected and therefore part of a community.

I couldn't help but think of all the times in the Bible where the writers remind the readers of those that have gone before, to make sure their accomplishments and mistakes are remembered and held up to help the reader navigate their own life path. One of my favorites is Hebrews Chapter 12, verse 1.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

The proceeding chapter goes through a list of people of faith and what they accomplished by their faith; the trials they endured and overcame because of their faith; the fact that through faith they looked at a goal that was beyond their lifetime and acted toward it.

Then comes verse one of chapter 12 and it draws us into community with these people and calls us to be inspired by their accomplishments and do likewise. In community with these people, we should see the end goal and live a life towards that outcome. To trade the future and long term goodness and harmony for the world at large for the instant pleasures of today for ourselves.

This is not an easy task, but a worthwhile one. One I try to choose each day. Yes, it is a daily choice to do this. Each and every day opportunities come up for us to choose a path that is easy or would bring instant pleasure that would direct us away from a future of goodness, love, and peace for the world.

Since June is Gay Pride month, I couldn't help but start thinking about the connectedness that I feel to the LGBTQ community and realize that it is very similar in nature.

If I look around at the people I interact with on a daily basis, they are mostly straight. I don't find myself spending a great deal of time in "gay" establishments, although I certainly have a proclivity to places and people that are gay-friendly (after all, who likes to spend there time in and around hostile places and people). What I do find is a strong tie of connection for me with the LGBTQ community. I desire for this community to feel at one with all of society and particular desire to build bridges between the LGBTQ and Christian communities (which is why I created Gay Christian Bridges). While I don't intersect with that community on a daily basis, I do find myself drawn to those "family events" that bring that community together. Last Sunday I walked in the AIDS walk. Personally I don't have, nor do I have friends that have AIDS, but it is something that has had great impact of the LGBTQ community and I want to do my part to support my community. Today, I will attend the Pride service at Arlington Street Church followed by the Pride parade in Boston. It is not a community I hang out with frequently, but I feel the connection to the community and am inspired by people in it.

Just as the writer of Hebrews held up people who acted on faith towards an end goal of love, goodness, and peace, the LGBTQ community has people who have striven for an end goal of love, goodness, and peace.

I respect the members of my community that have gone before me and have stood up for the right to love the person of their choice, even if when those around them have not understood that love (just as Noah chose to build an ark when those around him did not understand what it was). I respect those who have chosen and stood up for being honest about who they were as a person, rather than hide in society and be what society wanted (just as Moses refused to deny his Jewish heritage even though he had been adopted into the house of the Pharaoh). These people saw a future where there was love, peace, goodness...and lived a life to bring it about, even though it was not in their lifetime.

Do you see a future? Are you willing to live a life to bring it about, even if that requires hardship or persevering through persecution? Will you be an agent that brings the world of love that God has painted for us?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Isaiah 1:17 - Defend the Oppressed

This past week, at the small group meeting I attend, this scripture came up and it caught my attention. Enough so that I have been thinking about it for a couple of days.

¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow.

The phrase that jumped out at me was " defend the oppressed". My first thought was to consider who are the oppressed?

 Maybe because it is also National Coming Out week, I started thinking about the LGBTQ community. Everywhere we turn, we hear about issues that relate to the LGBTQ community such as marriage equality which has become a talking point for political debate in this election year. And today, we are reminded of Matthew Shepherd, who was killed because he was gay on this day in 1988. I modified my question to, is this community oppressed?

I decided to look up the word oppressed and found the following definition at the top of my Google search: 1. To keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority.

Looking at that, there is no question that in a number of countries, this community is oppressed. In 17 countries, you can be legally put to death for being gay. And in many more, you can be beaten and harassed with no consequences for those who perpetrate these acts. But what about here in the USA? Is this an oppressed community?

I look across the country and consider all the states that are trying to get legislation passed regarding marriage. Some to allow same-sex couples, and some to make a marriage outside of a man and a woman unconstitutional. I consider the inheritance rights of married couples and their ability to pass on property to their spouse, while unmarried, couples must pay huge inheritance taxes to do the same...

Were women oppressed when they were not allowed the right to vote? Shunned from the workforce?

Were African Americans oppressed when they were forced into slavery? Segregated?

Were American Indians oppressed when they had their land taken from them?

I think we would say yes!

Is the LGBTQ community oppressed? I would say yes. The real question is, what do we do about it? How do we defend this oppressed community? Or do we?

 Shamefully, the church as a whole did not defend the other oppressed communities I mentioned. In fact, the church always seems to be divided when it comes to issues surrounding oppressed peoples. The Bible is often used to defend multiple positions of issues. That is as true today with issues surrounding the LGBTQ community as it has been with many other communities.

I guess the first question you have to ask yourself is whether you see the LGBTQ community as oppressed. Next, you have to consider if you believe that you are called to defend the oppressed, and finally, what that looks like.

Being national Coming Out week, maybe the first step is to listen to hear and understand the people of the LGBTQ community. next, consider what ways they are being oppressed and think about how you are called to defend the oppressed. It might be as simple and stopping a conversation that is negative, judgmental and offensive, it might be what candidate you vote for on election day, it might be praying about the situation and for the LGBTQ community, it might be talking to people around you about the issues, or making public declarations and gestures.

However you hear the call of this verse and understand the issues and what action you take is really between you and God, but I ask you...to consider this...Is the LGBTQ community oppressed and what do I do about it?