Loving, Not Judging

Listen to this week’s podcast, Overcoming Sexual Abuse, by clicking here!

A MESSAGE FROM SARA:

So we just recorded our series Be Bold and Conquer. It was a very moving day for us because the special guests we had on the podcasts have crazy, big, moving stories of being bold. 

My friend and huge BE supporter, Mandi, stepped in and shared some time with us as she revealed her story of sexual abuse. My heart was so stirred with emotions of nervousness, excitement, and sadness because I knew this was a huge step for her — going very public with this very private, vulnerable story in her history. In addition, I’m becoming more aware of the need for fresh love in the church for hurting souls.  

As Mandi and I twisted and turned driving up the mountain (Mandi a little more green than me this time!), we talked about where the church is for those that have walked in the despair of the abuse. We do not talk about sex in the church…the good, the bad, the ugly. And why is this? Because it is private? Because it is the forbidden? Because it is dirty? What in the world is it? For many of us, our parents didn’t even talk to us about sex…and if they did, it was just enough to get by on. For others, you knew too much and didn’t have any real guidelines. I would argue that on either side of that fence, there was very little truth from the Word of God. 

I remember while I was in youth group, a young girl (she couldn’t have been more than 15 or 16) got pregnant. One Sunday morning, she had to get up in front of the church and “confess” her sin. She then left the church which I am pretty sure was not by her own doing and I never saw her again. This was the picture painted of how God demonstrated justice that I grew up with. The church was so busy preaching about what it was against and making examples of everyone that didn’t follow the rules, that I never really knew what it stood for. This is not at all what Christ did to the woman at the well that day He met her. 

Can you imagine Him making her go in front of the town and confess her sin only to be kicked out of the “club”? 

Mandi and I continued our conversation and dreamed of a time that the church — and women — would offer comfort to those that are in need no matter what their situation. We need to learn to love those that have been abused and not suggest that perhaps they put themselves in that situation or got what they deserved. We need to wrap our arms around those that are pregnant. We need to quit judging and start loving. I just read a devotional by Christine Caine that suggested that we don’t have to get overwhelmed with the idea of starting a big movement, we need only love the one right in front of us. 

May God transform our hearts to be hearts like His, full of His love, His mercy, His grace. 

May we leave the judgment to Him and Him alone. 

And may we be abounding in our message of encouraging women to BE encouraged, loved, and accepted by the body of Christ.