Love is Not Labor it is A Gracious Choice

 

As we approach Labor day, I find myself pondering what the Messy Middle has to do with labor. Afterall, this blog, along with this ministry, is a labor of love born from a heart committed to standing with the oppressed and marginalized of our communities. And, if I am honest, it is specifically a labor of love focused on my dear siblings in the LGBTQ+ community.

So, what is labor? Labor, according to various dictionaries, is defined as making great effort but also implies having difficulty in accomplishing your task.  Of course, it also refers to the work force required to accomplish a job or task.

In Christian circles, we often find ourselves referring to bible verses that describe the fruit of our labor for God or the need to labor for the cause of Christ (1 Cor. 15:58, Col 3:23, Proverbs 16:3, & others). 

Although I affirm the basic truths in this thinking I believe that we are missing the point of Jesus’ and Paul’s messages when we focus to heavily on labor and work as part of our salvation or sanctification process. Yes, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling in the sense that sanctification requires we submit to the Holy Spirit to transform our lives day by day. But somehow this truth has made a way for one of the greatest theological mistakes we suffer from in the modern-day church.

It is this tragically wrong theology that has allowed us to burden our LGBTQ+ siblings along with countless others with an expectation of immediate transformation and alignment to our culture war mentality. As someone who once perpetrated this wrong on this beloved community, my own personal progressive sanctification journey has led me to repent of the exclusionary positions I once held and to embrace a deep love for my siblings which causes a desire to stand alongside them with the grace, hope, & love that I readily embrace for myself daily.

Grace in its very nature is unconditional. Yet we seem to think conditions are added to us once we embrace the salvation available through Christ’s sacrifice. Even though this is contradictory to Ephesians 2:8-9 (For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”) we seem to think that excluding the imperfect is somehow a sacred responsibility. We see in various places in Romans that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:1) and equally astounding that there is NO condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1). 

Why do we so readily accept these wonderful assurances for ourselves while playing gatekeeper for others who we fear or make us uncomfortable? Our role in God’s kingdom is to act as the loving hands & feet of Christ while the Holy Spirit is responsible for ALL the convicting, transforming, and progressive sanctification.  

The Messy Middle leans into grace because excluded people have no space at the table to find the hope available in Christ. Our labor is simply to cultivate love, acceptance, and safe spaces for God to do His great work.