Diverse families, common purpose.

1 Corinthians 3:8-11

           One of the first sermons that I preached was about equality. At the time it was not about marriage equality or being gay, it was focused on all of us, the entire community of God.  This is before I realized I was gay and perhaps my subconscious was trying to tell me something or the sermon stirred something deep within me! The point was, and still is, we each have a role to play and to contribute to God's plan for ourselves and for the world. 

         The example that I preached about was related to my work. We have 'housekeepers' and surgeons working alongside each other. The surgeons do their thing but the housekeepers are the ones responsible for cleaning the operating suites for  each successive case. One might argue the surgeon is the most important. While not diminishing the surgeons work, I really don't want my surgery done in a dirty room contaminated by the previous patient. In that way each one's job is equally important though some would look at a housekeepers job as less important or as a menial task. Nothing could be further from the truth. We all have a contributing role in life and in God's plan.

            So now let's speak a bit about marriage equality. There is a great deal said about a study done by a man named Rignerus. There are serious questions about his methodology and the pool of people he chose for his study. One court of law basically said it was 'garbage'. On thing I think is valid is that children do better in steady homes. I would not begin to rationalize or make broad statements about a one parent home being better than a two parent home or is a straight couple better than a same sex couple as parents. The fact is a loving home is the optimum situation.  I would say though, from my example in life, had my parents stayed married 'for the sake of the children' I would have fared much worse as a result of the yelling and dysfunction. Separated, each of my parents were loving and supportive of me and I was spared the yelling and anger. I fared much better. This may be the case in many instances. What is fundamentally needed is love and support. In this respect whether it's a single parent family, a straight couple or  same sex couple, all that is needed is love and support. I would argue that each couple has there role to play. Perhaps the families look different but each contributes and play the role of lover, nurturer and supporter.  This is our common purpose.

              Whether by choice or by tragedy, families come in many varieties, shapes and sizes. What matters, as always is the love that is expressed and shared.

The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labour of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.