Thoughts On The Day Same-Sex Marriage Became Legal

Image from: www.becketfund.org

My phone made its familiar sound that told me there was a news update, so I glanced down to see what was going on.  “Supreme Court Declares Same-Sex Marriages Legal in All 50 States.”  I didn’t really have a reaction, just setting the phone back down and getting back to work.  Given our cultural and political climate, I don’t think many people are surprised.  More than anything, I just thought about enduring another day of people in the media shouting about it.

 Later, I began to wonder how other believers in God were feeling about the news, and so I paused to write out a few things I hope we will remember on a day that I’m sure some people will feel like we have somehow “lost”…

 First, I hope we remember that “legal” and “right” are not the same thing.  The American government is not the judge of what is morally right (though people sometimes act like they think it is).  Adultery is sinful before God, but it is legal.  Abortion is sinful before God, but it is legal.  Getting drunk is sinful, but it is legal.  Lying is sinful, but it is in most cases legal.  We could go on and on.  There are many things that are legal, but they’re not right in God’s eyes.   God’s truth has not changed today.  Today just adds one more item to the list of issues where we must show people that God’s truth is wiser than what our culture says is OK.  

Faith on Vacation

Image from: travel.nationalgeographic.com-

Several years ago, we sat in the auditorium at the Myrtle Beach Church of Christ.  We were on summer vacation, and our family felt fortunate to find a spot to sit in the full Sunday morning auditorium.  The worship was meaningful, the sermon was very well-presented, but something in the announcements is what has always stuck with me.  The man giving the announcements asked the Myrtle Beach members to stand, and only about one-fourth of that full auditorium stood up!  We all laughed as we realized that most of us were out-of-town visitors.  I think part of our laughter was appreciation, an appreciation that so many families from all over the country had made it a priority to worship God with a local church family, even on vacation.  Knowing there was so much commitment to God in that room was really encouraging.