While these marketed slogans may occasionally cause a woman or teenage girl to think twice before they decide to get an abortion, overall it seems that these types of moral “Christian” judgments either push these women away from the church because they do not want to feel judged or criticized; or they push women away who have already gotten abortions because these women only feel guilt and judgment from the truth of these statements. This truth is then received without the gracious, relational and forgiving love that is necessary in order to recover from the pain, grief, and guilt they carry around for their mistake.
In scripture it says that, “God’s kindness is intended to lead us to repentance” (Romans 2:4b). That as Christians we are to, “Speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15a) to one another. Throwing around judgmental slogans on T-shirts and Bumper-Stickers that say, “Abortion is murder” or “Abortion is homicide” does not reflect God’s kindness or accomplish the Biblical instruction of speaking truth in love. While these slogans may very well be true, the person reading them who does not know the individual sporting them, does not have a context of relational love from which they can hear this type of harsh truth. Without this relational love, these types of truths spoken will only be received as non-loving judgments. Now, I’m not saying that just because you do speak the truth in love it will be well-received by someone you do have a loving relationship with. They may very well receive this truth spoken in love as a judgment from you. However, there is a difference between this type of perceived judgment within the context of an actual loving relationship, and the perceived judgment when a loving relationship does not exist.
Throughout my graduate counseling courses I have been learning that as a counselor, it is important for me to be non-judgmental towards a client when they reveal something to me that does not align with my personal convictions or beliefs. Our job as counselors is to look past the sins or offenses the person has committed and to show them true Christ-like love in the context of the counseling relationship. It is only after we have shown them that love that we will be effective in reaching them with the truth and correction needed in their life. And true Christ-like love is only made complete through speaking truth and correction into the life of the one we claim to love.
Spending many of my years of life involved in ultra-conservative circles, I have to agree with what you have said. So many times Christians get caught up in their "religious" activities and position in Christ that they forget, were it not for Christ, they would be the on condemned. We have to remember Jesus met the people where they were in the middle of their brokenness to help them in love. It is my prayer that God continually helps me to learn to love more like Jesus!
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head, Amy. Ephesians 4:15 is a great place to look on how to handle these types of situations. God doesn't tell us not to speak the truth if it will offend someone or hurt someone. He also doesn't tell us to speak the truth irrelevant of the receiver's feelings or circumstances. No, God in His infinite wisdom and grace, tells us to speak the truth in love, the way that He speaks truth to us. Our sins look so much worse on other people, but I hope that we can take an honest look at how much grace God has shown us, and use that same grace in how we speak to others.
ReplyDeleteI agree also with your response to the bumper sticker about speaking truth in love. Too often, I have seen a hurting person be hurt more deeply by the responses of Christians who get caught up in the agenda of Truth absent Love. I love how Peter puts it in 1 Peter 4:7-8 "The end of all things is near, therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins."
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