A few days ago I had a need to go to the local convenience store. Behind the counter was a young person who was transgender. They(?) were obviously very nervous that I would judge them. I did not want to judge them. I have met trans-people before, but I could feel a judgmental spirit rising in me.

I admit that part of me wanted to get political with this person. Part of me wanted to lament the degradation of our Judeo-Christian values to this person. Part of me wanted to tell this person what he or she should do with their life. Part of me wanted to judge them and tell them that they are all that is whacked-up about this world. I dont know, maybe I have been watching too much or not enough tv.

However, I was given a different perspective (thankfully). I started to wonder how Jesus would see them. I started to think of the Bible and how Jesus reacted to men and women whom He met in first-century Palestine. Jesus met drug-takers and prostitutes and I am sure that He must have met members of the LGBTQ community. How did He respond? How would He want me to respond to this kid at the convenience store?

Just asking that question filled me with the Lord’s answer. I asked to see that person the way that Jesus saw them. I believe the Lord wanted me to see that there is a PERSON there, a HUMAN BEING that He loves! Believe me, I am sure even this desire was from Him. I was very scared that the Lord would want me to do something crazy like embrace them or whatever (I dont like hugging ANYONE!). But the Lord’s presence was overwhelming and I told myself, whatever He wants, I will do it and let the chips fall where they may (for that I had to ask for God’s strength, too). So I did what I was called to do and I calmed down and just looked the person in the eyes and talked to them like a normal person.

However, there are so many communities that are convinced that children who are considered to young to drive, drink, or vote are considered mature enough to choose unalterable gender-reassignment surgery. To have a mastectomy or emasculate oneself has become a fashion statement. This is a fashion trend that is causing a lot of people to choose suicide—after the surgery (Long-term follow-up of transsexual persons undergoing sex reassignment surgery: cohort study in Sweden – PubMed (nih.gov))

So I pray for that kid. I pray that they would carefully consider what they want for their lives and that that leads to them knowing the One-Above-All, whatever that means for their gender identification.

James 1:26 – If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

——————————————————————————-W.