Value Christ More Than Self

A few weeks ago, I started a bit of a storm on my Facebook page. Now, I'm no one special and so I don't have that many followers, but I posted something that led to much discussion and even some blog posts.

I had recently read the story about Trey Pearson, the Christian music artist who came out of the closet as a homosexual. In the article, it mentioned that he had to come out to his wife and children and in his words, he had to be healthy to them by being true to himself.

As I read the article, I saw many, many posts congratulating him on his decision, encouraging him and praising him. As I read these posts, something occurred to me: why do we praise a decision to break up a family?

So I posted the following: So seriously, if a man comes out as gay and leaves his wife and children behind, he is celebrated. If a man has an adulterous relationship with another woman and leaves his wife and kids for her, he's vilified? Am I the only one who sees the disconnect?

Now this wasn't a comment on Pearson or his decision, but it was a reflection on our culture, which often praises homosexuals leaving their family to follow their new lifestyle, but bashes heterosexuals for leaving their family to pursue a new relationship. This isn't a homosexual commentary as much as it is a commentary on the values of our society.

In our culture, we value sex and self more than we value commitment and relationships. We encourage people to follow their hearts and be true to themselves, when in the end, those choices often leaven broken relationships, ended marriages and abandoned families.

We see this all too well in the story of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15.  He left behind his family and his responsibilities in order to pursue his own pleasures and lifestyle. In the end, he was left bitter, broken and poor. It was not until he sought repentance and reconciliation that he found true joy and salvation.

In our culture today, we let our own desires trump the desires of Christ in our lives. We choose our own pursuits instead of the pursuits of Christ. We let sex and pleasure rule over common sense and good theology.

IT HAS TO STOP.

Our identities are not tied to our sex drive. Our commitments must mean more than our pleasures. Our Christ must be our identity and our pursuit.

We can't listen to culture or even Facebook trolls. We must listen to Christ and apply his word. Only then will we discover the true purpose for our life and a lasting joy.