What would Jesus do? He would love first

Taleya+Jordan%2C+junior+music+major%2C+walks+into+the+Southeastern+Wesley+for+the+first+Queer+Communion+meeting+on+Oct.+6.+Jordan+created+Queer+Communion+and+leads+the+bible+study+meetings+every+Wednesday+at+6%3A30+p.m.+to+foster+a+welcoming+environment+for+queer+Christians.

Symiah Dorsey

Taleya Jordan, junior music major, walks into the Southeastern Wesley for the first Queer Communion meeting on Oct. 6. Jordan created Queer Communion and leads the bible study meetings every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to foster a welcoming environment for queer Christians.

I am a Christian. It is an essential and primary aspect of my identity. 

I fully recognize that not everyone identifies that way, but I still know and believe that everyone is loved by God. 

Unfortunately, there is a seemingly growing divide between Christians and the LGBTQIA+ community as well as between Christians who seek to love and accept them and Christians who do not. 

The thing is, part of the life of a Christian includes loving your enemy – loving those who hurt you, those who you dislike, those who make you feel uncomfortable, those who you don’t agree with. It is our responsibility, more so than those who do not yet know God, to be the ones who love others with an open heart and an open mind. It is our job to try to bridge the divide.

I believe that as a whole, the Church has not done a good job of effectively and compassionately communicating with the LGBTQIA+ community. Frankly, that is probably clear to most people. The solution is simple, but it is something we have not yet fully grasped.

As Christians, our goal is to get to Heaven, and the more people we help to get there along the way the better. We should be trying to make genuine connections with others. We should be holy, trustworthy people who spread love and bring others to Jesus. 

Yes, along the way we should be educating others about the dangers of sin (all sin – not just capitalizing on some more than others), but that doesn’t make us entitled. That doesn’t give anyone the right to be hateful or discriminatory. We shouldn’t make the mistake of pushing others away from God in our harsh attempts to help them understand scripture. 

Too often I hear stories about individuals breaking off from the faith because the church hurt them. The church failed them. I refuse to be someone who causes pain or who ostracizes individuals simply because of something that is a part of their identity. My entire life I was taught to be loving and welcoming because that is what Jesus would do. He would love first. 

We should be communicating with respect, which should be able to flow to and from both directions. We live in a nation of religious liberty – among many other freedoms – which is a beautiful thing that allows us to choose and act upon our faith as we please. If we expect respect for our choices from others, we must put the hypocrisy aside and put forth that same respect. 

Look into yourself before judging others. Take that log out of your own eye and just be a loving example of Christ before deciding to condemn. 

I believe in the everlasting love of God no matter what anyone else, Christian or not, tells me. So Christians, love first. Make connections first. Be a light of Jesus first and foremost. Then, dive deeper into the conversations that can open the minds and hearts of all parties involved. 

There are so many more things that I could have addressed here, but I have to let it all boil down to this: What would Jesus do? He would love first. 

I want to be the kind, welcoming example that changes people’s minds about the faith. My fellow Christians, I encourage you to do the same.