Sometimes You Have To …. !
One of our favorite “The Chosen” episodes shares their vision of Jesus healing the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. It opens with many handicapped folks gathered around the large pool and several pharisee’s standing at the back observing the activities. Jesus and Matthew enter the scene and move down to the many laying beside the pool. After a short discussion Jesus heals the lame man and tells him to pick up his bed and leave.
The Pharisees react to the “labor on Sabbath” and shout at Jesus as he and Matthew are departing. Matthew hears the angry Pharisees and asks Jesus - “ do you hear the Pharisees ? They are angry at what you’ve done to help the lame man ! “
Jesus reply is awesome - “Yes I hear them - sometimes you just have to stir up the water” and He smiled at Matthew as they ignored the shouts and watched the healed man walk away from the pool.
Today a similar situation is occurring. SDA Kinship continues to help all of it’s members - every rainbow member and their families and friends. Also many allies continue to offer their support and assistance as needed. Kinship continues to “stir up the water” and the SDA Pharisees continue to shout and take negative actions.
Jesus is our caring example of how we need to share the biblical messages reflecting on love and acceptance. Jesus never judged or rejected anyone. He showed that God gave us all the gift of love and acceptance and that it is our responsibility to share it worldwide.
One Sabbath I heard a caring SDA Pastor share in his sermon “The bible is not a scientific paper or a medical report or a doctoral thesis - it is a message about how we should live our lives and love everyone - even our enemies.”
Today after many years of research and psychological evaluations both the US Sturgeon General and the major British medical associations have identified the dangers of depression. The US report states that depression is worse than smoking 15 cigarettes a day or drinking 6 alcoholic drinks a day. The British report focused on British female teenagers - 14-16 years old - suffering from depression. Their suicide rates were 3 to 4 times higher than other British teenagers.
Both reports include being rejected, bullied, and excluded from family and friendly relationships as major causes for depression. When a rainbow person is judged and rejected for their biological behaviors they can suffer serious depression. When a family also receives negative responses and non-support for their loved family member that family can also become depressed. The New Testament writers often shared Jesus’s comment about judging and rejecting. He shared that we are not to judge anyone - that will be done by God and Jesus at later times.
Thank you Kinship for “stirring up the waters” !! It is needed as we hopefully help the SDA leadership return to the bible being a message where we can honestly and humanly help each other- not judge each other ! By lovingly accepting and supporting all of our rainbow members and their families. Our faith can also share and reflect God’s desire for all of us to love and help everyone enjoy the best lives than can.
Kinship - KEEP STIRRING !!!
Carolyn & John Wilt
Kinship Families & Friends
