“Stupid. Pointless. Menacing. That's what I thought of Christians and their god Jesus.” Rosaria Butterfield
Butterfield, a leftist lesbian professor, had a “happy, meaningful, and full” life, and she despised Christians. She especially didn’t understand why many well-known Christian leaders consistently made unloving, sarcastic remarks about homosexuality.
Then Butterfield met Pastor Ken Smith and his wife, who treated her with respect. Instead of sneering and proclaiming truth, they invited her to their home, became her friend, and asked her good questions.
Her resistance was strong when she began reading the Bible, but “God's promises rolled in like sets of waves into [her] world.”
Butterfield turned from the sin of homosexuality and became a Christian. She is now the wife of a pastor and a mother. She now responds to those who claim that Christian sexual values are hateful:
“Calling God’s sexual ethic hate speech does Satan’s bidding. This is Orwellian nonsense or worse. I only know who I really am when the Bible becomes my lens for self-reflection, and when the blood of Christ so powerfully pumps my heart whole that I can deny myself, take up the cross, and follow him.” Rosaria Butterfield
Her story reminds us that everyone, no matter how happy, needs Jesus. And it also shows us that love, kindness and friendship change hearts—not angry, sarcastic proclamations.
We must share God’s truth, but we must share it in mercy because “mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).
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See My Train Wreck Conversion by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield. And her response to those who claim Christians should support LGBTQ lifestyles: Love Your Neighbor Enough to Speak the Truth.
For more on God's design for sexuality, see the God's View of Sex Archive.
Bible Love Notes
*WOW* is all I can say on that one!
ReplyDeleteMy mother always told us that we could catch more flies with honey than vinegar. It was very important to her that our words lifted up rather than tearing down. This is an excellent example.
ReplyDeleteIt's an old saying, but still true today : )
DeleteI know a man who was homosexual and a drug addict before he got saved. Now, he's a husband, father, and man of God. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAmen! Another confirmation that our God loves people and wants to transform them into lifestyles that draw them closer to Him.
DeleteThis post gives hope where it would seem that there was no hope. Thanks Gail, again, for sharing such a well-thought through post.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
ReplyDeletePowerful!! Another awesome story of how Christ changes lives.
ReplyDeleteDear Gail
ReplyDeleteWhat an encouraging story! I have found that many Christians not only crucify the gay community; they also crucify their own wounded!
Much love
Mia
I think as a Christian we need to do what Christ did himself! Sometimes we get what "Christ" did and what the "Jews" did mixed up.. We are ready to stone and condemn others who have committed a certain sin but none of us can cast the first stone because we all have sinned! I think we all need to put love on ;)
ReplyDeleteIt is good to hear positive stories like this.
ReplyDelete