This past week a judge in Ohio removed a teenaged girl from her parents and gave permanent custody to her grandparents. What horrible thing did those parents do that would cause a judge to take such drastic action? Were they starving her or beating her? Had they locked her in a room and held her prisoner? Just what kind of depraved behavior by the parents would warrant that judge’s decision?
The parents wouldn’t allow her to get hormone therapy so she could turn into a boy. You read that right. The girl wanted to start intense hormone treatments so she could be a boy and her parents said no so the government took their daughter away from them. Here is one of the most important aspects of that story: the lawyer for the girl cited the parents religious beliefs as one of the reasons that they said no. They’re were chided for seeking a Christian counselor to help her. Their Christianity was publicly used against them concerning their fitness in raising their daughter.
That should scare us. Which of our sincere, long-held beliefs will be next? I guarantee that it isn’t over. As long as we strive to live Biblically we will be persecuted. The evil one is emboldened with every judgment against Christian faith and lifestyle and will only push harder. Those misguided folks who hate us will find ways to keep up their assault.
While it is, indeed, so sad that this great nation, founded on Christian principles is turning its back on the very God who helped us and sustained us as we held firm to His teachings, we should have expected it. Jesus said “ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18 NIV). So our reaction should be Biblical, too. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
(James 1:2-3 NIV) Have faith and be courageous. Like the Psalmist in the 23rd Psalm: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me”.
Bro. Tony, pastor
Church on the Bluff