Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinions. How a person feels is his or her feelings, and no one can dictate that. Likewise, no one can dictate how I feel, and thus I'm entitled to my opinions.
When I became a pastor, I made a choice to stand for those who couldn't stand for themselves. I chose to defend the defenseless. I decided to help the helpless.
But this also meant that I had to stand bold in my beliefs.
This meant stern discernment in some tough situations. This meant realizing that it was ok to say "no", and saying it when it needed to be said. This meant dishing out some tough love from time to time.
This isn't something that is easily explained - I've had many classes on the different areas of this, done various research papers, and am still taking different classes. So if I'm not making a lot of sense, trust me, it's not something simple to just write out in some blog. But when I can say is that people are quirky. All people are. And it takes different kinds of people to make the world go 'round. But we also have to respect people. We have to respect who they are, how they came to be, why they are what they are, and what they do. We may not like it, but they are who they are. Period.
This doesn't mean that we have to accept everyone. If we don't like how a person or group of people do or don't do things, then we don't have to hang out with them. Any reason to hang out is simply peer pressure and adults have already learned about all of that.
No. We can move on and live our own lives. We can be happy and watch those who chose a different path go down that path, and simply wish them the best, pray for them, and move on.
With that, I have to now say that over the next few days, weeks, and months, I've got a lot of considering to do. I've got a lot to think about. I've got a lot to mull over.
So it you see me with a glazed look, just snap your fingers once or twice. I'll come back to the current state after I blink once or twice.
