"...[Love] keeps no record of wrongs."

From May 21, 2011


I Corinthians 13:5


Every day’s a blank slate.  We’re to treat everyone in the same loving manner always, regardless of what they’ve done before.  It’s hard to forgive, harder to forget, but we’re called to do both.  God doesn’t look at my past.  So I won’t look at anyone else’s.  I wanna live a life that promotes mercy, grace, forgiveness.  And hope for the present and tomorrow, no matter what lies in the past.

Can’t hold on to that stuff.  You just can’t.

The Casey Anthony Trial

From July 6, 2011

I guess not everyone’s gonna see it this way, because I’m looking at it through a Christian perspective, but I have some things to say about this:

Everyone’s saying that justice wasn’t served for Caylee because of the verdict that was reached today in the Casey Anthony trial.  And that’s true - if the flawed, human government was the ultimate authority on justice.

But it’s not.  True justice belongs to the Lord.  And the jury today may have done young Caylee wrong, but there is true justice to be found in the situation.  We may not be able to see it now.  We may never be able to see it.  But at least take some hope that God does have everything under control.  It is all in His hand.  And Caylee is in heaven right now, basking in the love and beauty of our Savior.

And even if the government did fail to deliver proper justice to Casey Anthony, know that the Lord is a just God and He’ll take care of it.  And know that justice isn’t always what we think it’ll look like or what it to look like.  And it doesn’t always come right away or when we think it will.  But true justice will be served in its due time.  Or rather, in God’s time.

And you know, I can’t hate Casey Anthony for this.  I can’t wish her dead.  And though the evidence against her is certainly insurmountable (though I guess technically not, given the verdict, but you know what I mean), I don’t even feel comfortable saying too much about her and the situation because yes, I can make my educated guesses and feel confident in them, but naturally I don’t know what exactly happened because I wasn’t there.  But you know, more than anything, I just want to pray for her.  Hope that she gets to experience the redemptive love of Jesus, that He’ll change her life and transform her.  I sincerely hope that for her above her death or even being jailed for life.

Because you know, here’s the thing about mercy - not a single one of us deserves it.  But Jesus gives it willingly to whoever wants it, no matter what they’ve done or deserve.  So I’ve really been inspired to adopt that attitude myself.  And hold out on hope that good can come of this.  That even the vilest people can be changed and forgiven.

And here’s the kicker: If Casey Anthony were to sincerely come to Jesus, then all of her sins would be completely wiped away, just like anyone else who comes to Jesus.  And she’d get to spend eternity in paradise, no matter what she had done in the past.

Isn’t that crazy?  But amazing - the limitless nature of Jesus’s forgiveness.  All we have to do is accept Him, and it’s all wiped free.  It’s so crazy.  So crazy.

I feel weird, though, even making such statements about Casey Anthony like I just did.  I don’t know her.  I don’t know where she is with God, so you know - that was more so to make a point then to make a point as to whether or not she’s saved right now.  Because I mean, what do I know?  Nothing, really.  Just that Jesus’s love, grace, and forgiveness knows no bounds, and I think that’s absolutely amazing.

And I still think the first response to have in regards to all of this is to just pray for her.  Animosity, hate, negativity - it does absolutely nothing.  Even if it’s “deserved” - it makes nothing better and everything bitter.  Responding in love, though, no matter the circumstance - that’s where it’s at.  We all have so much to say about Casey Anthony, but do you know that Jesus loves her more than anyone can imagine?  Not that I condone her actions at all - of course not.  What happened to Caylee is absolutely terrible.  But I think there’s still always room for love, no matter whatever.

This is the kind of crazy Christian talk that’s gonna make everyone hate me when I get to Hollywood in August, huh?  haha I imagine a lot of people rolling their eyes at all this (which is why I’m not even tagging this post as “Casey Anthony”).  But you know - whatever.  I’m gonna stand up for Jesus and all that He embodies, no matter what.  Because that’s all that makes sense to me, and I know I’m not a fool for it.  I know I’m not crazy for it.  And if I know that, then I really can’t be bothered what other people have to think about it.  What can those people offer me, anyway?  Nothing that Jesus can, that’s for sure.

Romans 5:8

From January 14, 2012

There seems to be an unfortunate, but common misconception that one must be free of sin before they accept Christ.  And it’s a misconception that Christians sometimes seem the perpetuate.  More concerned with the sin in the life of non-believer - that’s what we address sometimes, to the point of condemnation.  The focus we place on sin implies that that is what keeps us from salvation and thus we cannot experience Jesus until that sin is gone.

Not true.  It is sin that keeps us from God, but not from salvation.  Or rather, kept us from God, until Jesus interceded on our behalves.  Though acknowledging our sin is a step towards salvation, we don’t have to be sin free for Jesus to come into our hearts.  Obviously, because that’s the whole point of needing a Savior - Jesus came to save us from our sin.

Romans 5:8 states it pretty clearly to me: “but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

You don’t have to get your life together to come to Christ.  You come to Christ, and He gets your life together.  He takes us exactly as we are - full of sin, completely broken, and sometimes absolutely despicable people - and if we open ourselves to Him, we are soon amazed at how Jesus transforms us into a completely different person as He takes our sin upon Himself, and then sanctifies us.
I just think we need to stay away from a false gospel of condemnation, but rather drill in a gospel of redemption.