Three reasons today ROCKS:

• English 102: Composition and Literature is officially OVER!!!!!  (join me in a loud WOOHOO!)
• I got a B in the class.  For a black and white right brained gal, that is a HUGE accomplishment.
• Today is the start of Bible 105.  I can’t wait to dig deep into the caves of the Old Testament and discover the jewels that are scattered within.

In case you didn’t get one this morning, “Have a Glorious Day today!” 

Sorry it’s been a few days, but I’m working on a literary analysis paper for this ridiculous - I mean pleasant; no, enjoyable; no, informative - English class I’m taking.  It’s on the poem “The Road Not Taken.”  Yes, I said a poem.  So, if you feel like throwing up some extra prayers for me (along the lines of wisdom and clear thinking), please freely do so. 

(To those who know me, prepare yourselves for what may be a shocking read.)

I’m currently taking English 102: Composition and Literature (aka NIGHTMARE for my little black and white brain). The first half of this course has been on short stories, and the critical analysis paper on two of them was painful. Thankfully, we have moved on from short stories; unfortunately it was poetry we moved on to. It’s not exaggeration when I say I almost dropped the course after reviewing the assignments for this poetry segment of class. However, I thought better of it and decided to give it a whirl. And low and behold, I like poetry! Now, now, before you get too carried away, notice I said I like poetry. There is still no love for it because quite frankly some of it makes less since than a toddler trying to talk with peanut butter stuck to the roof of his mouth. Anyway, below is a poem that is an exception to the ‘no-love’ rule; I love this poem! I love the choice of words throughout the poem. What do you think?

“Batter My Heart, Three-Personed God” by John Donne

Batter my heart, three-personed God; for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurped town, to another due,
Labor to admit you, but O, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
but is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betrothed unto your enemy.
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again;
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor even chaste, except you ravish me.

For those who don’t know, I’m currently going to school to obtain a BS in Religion. I’m almost finished with an Evangelism and Christian Life class, and I can’t begin to describe how God has used this class to change my outlook on ministry and Christian life. Just last week one of our assignments was to watch three “The Way of the Master” witnessing clips (www.wayofthemaster.com). We were to pick one and comment if you would have added to the presenter’s statements or a thought you felt necessary to reinforce. One of the clips was “How to witness to someone who is gay?” The clip contained footage of Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort witnessing to homosexuals and explaining some different approaches that can be used while witnessing to them. One guy in my class responded openly about having issues with homosexuals. He was very honest and said that he “find(s) them disgusting”. Although he acknowledged his struggle with this and admitted he was going to have to work on this with God, his comment really got me thinking about how the body of Christ as a whole treats the issue of homosexuality.

My goal in the statements below is not to debate about the technicalities of homosexuality. The Word of God states that this is a sin…period. I am not in any way creating an exception to the Word of God. I believe it to be true cover to cover…without question. I do believe we as Christ-followers can glean some insight on how to witness to those affected by homosexuality if we will just take the time to look a little closer at the situation without any stereotypes or predetermined opinions. After all, we witness to a person, not to a sin.

I believe as Christ-followers we have weighted the sin of homosexuality, viewing it as a ‘bigger’ or worse sin than others. As a result of this, we have become uncomfortable and/or threatened when interacting with a homosexual. We are so focused on the act of homosexuality that we fail to see the person held captive by homosexuality. They are NO different from someone who is held captive by habitual lying.

It is important for us to not get into a debate with someone who is homosexual while witnessing (or just talking) with them. Second Tim 2:24-26 reads, “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” When they allude to being “born this way”, we need not even travel down the road into a debate with them. Truth is we are ALL born into sin – for some it’s gluttony, for some it’s lust (heterosexual or homosexual), and for some it’s covetousness. To be born is to be born into sin.

We must remember that we are witnessing to a lost and dying world. The people we encounter are LOST. I looked up the definition in several different places, and this is what I came up with.

Lost is:
• Having gone astray or missed the way; bewildered as to place, direction (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lost)
• Unable to find the way (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost)
• Confused as to time or place or personal identity (http://www.wordreference.com/definition/lost)

My prayer is that we keep these definitions in mind when interacting with any nonbeliever. May we always remember that we are reaching out to those who have been taken captive by the enemy, and may we never forget we are not above any sin.  We are told in Colossians 2:8 that we as Christ-followers can be taken captive; therefore, we must “See to it that no one takes you captive…” Let’s stop treating the lost as though they have a disease and reach out in love, sharing the great gift Jesus Christ has extended to each of us.