A matter of belief

I do not believe in discrimination.
I do not believe in hate.
I do not believe I am in a position to judge others.
I believe in equality.
I believe in human rights, (including those of an unborn baby)
I believe in marriage

I believe in a God who is full of mercy, grace and compassion.
I believe that God sent his son Jesus to die for me and my sins.
I believe in the Bible.

I believe that marriage is a biblical institution, not an agenda. I don't believe that anyone should use marriage as a means to gain something. I believe I entered into a Divine union when I said my vows to my husband in front of God and all those witnesses.

I feel the pain of people judging my thoughts and motives based on other people's actions who claim to believe the same thing as me. Many of you know me quite well. I hope my actions and my love for others is apparent. I pray everyday I can be the woman God intends for me to be. I fail to show grace, mercy and compassion every day, but I continue to strive for it because it is so freely given to me.

I'm sorry, but I cannot sit idle and defenseless any longer. If I believe what I say I do, I have to believe that marriage is a sacred covenant. No I don't do a good job at displaying my respect for that promise every day. No, I don't believe Christians as a whole always do either. I don't pretend that I'm not aware that divorce in the church has nearly the same rate as just outside those church walls.

I don't pretend that this isn't so complicated, or that the answer to our debate is simple. 

I don't believe in orphans staring at bleak white ceilings with no one to love them. Last time I checked there are many people who aren't married adopting those babies, along with many who are. What I know for sure is there are still too many orphans out there. People are too busy discussing politics to think about those babies, maybe.

I don't pretend to be better than anyone else, but I do hold myself to a standard set by the Bible.

Christians, are we portraying how wonderful and sacred our marriages are? Do people walk away from an encounter with us feeling like we are gentle and full of grace? Do you hold yourself, your thoughts, words and actions, to a standard set by God?

I am off to reflect during this Holy week. I will go back and read about another year of being saved from the life I used to live. I will worship God on Friday who had to watch as the sin of the world was heaped and thrown and beaten into His son, and I will worship Him again on Sunday and whisper the truth that Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered death. He reigns. He loves me. This is not to be taken lightly, Christians. Nothing we say we believe in should be.