‘Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced: I am with you. I have so many people on my side in this city that no one will even attempt to hurt you.’
There are times that, I will unfriend a person on Facebook over some comment that they have made. Hopefully, no one uses supposed facts from Facebook as facts. Rumor and inuendo are not facts. I don’t get mad a people who post. I am friends with all of them, but the purpose of Facebook is family and friends connecting.
So, how do we witness to someone who doesn’t want to listen. I work with a transgender person; I work with gay people; I work with sinners. I am a sinner too. Part of the answer is to treat everyone with respect. Yes, you don’t agree with their “lifestyle”. You are not judging them. You treat them as Jesus would. Go and sin no more. Live so that your life is the lifestyle that they want to emulate. I left work early on Tuesday. It was a rainy day and after the holiday everyone was either full or had leftovers or didn’t want to go out into the rain. It was a win for my boss who saved hours, but a win for me, because I made it clear that I had Knights of Columbus correspondence to do and some other volunteer work that I was doing because I believe in Jesus Christ.
Not everyone agrees with my motives. Money and the world are what most people are interested. Nonetheless, they know what motivates my family and me. They see my joy. ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will be weeping and wailing while the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.
The joy that you huave in your life is the glory of God in you. We can’t help but smile knowing the joy that we are experiencing my come at some other time. Rest assured it is coming. So, it is with you: you are sad now, but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy, and that joy no one shall take from you.
Jesus is telling us to speak out with words and with your actions. Someone is going to unfriend you. They may laugh at you or think that you are a fool. In the end you will have joy, but mostly the satisfaction of knowing that you are following Jesus.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for the soul of our beloved Pontiff, Pope Francis and for his successor, Pope Leo. Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for peace! The impossible could and can happen. Never deny God.
