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Here is a series I am starting on "Answering Tough Questions". A woman once said to me: "I just have to say I find it almost comical that people actual believe you need faith to have morals. I was raised in a church and only saw hypocrisy. Leaving the church and faith behind is when I found true happiness and could focus on doing good in the world. A person does not have to be faithful, let alone a specific faith to be a good person or have morality." My response: "No matter where you go you will find hypocrisy. No you do not need faith to have morals. But morals are not man made. They come from God and him alone. Whether you have faith in the source of morals or not, the source is still the same - God and him alone. People in and out of Church will let you down. It is no reason to walk out on God because of people. He still loves you. Have faith not for morals or because of the people but because of God and his love for you.
Do you often feel that people, in particularly Christians; do not accept your kind for whatever reason? So why bother? If you were to ever get to know me personally, you will find out that I too have imperfections, faults, sins I struggle with, and things I battle with. Does that mean He doesn't accept me or you? Never mind whether people will accept you are not, it's not them you will have to answer to, it's God. Christians, on the other hand; should love people even if they don't happen to agree with their viewpoints. That means respect. Christians aren't perfect either. I know because I have dealt with them too. I have been hurt by both religious and non religious friends, acquaintances, family members, etc. There are also people that I grew up with that I was close to who no longer want anything to do with me because of what I believe. They no longer accept me, and that is what hurts the most!
People have let you down I presume, and they will, but God will never let you down. He loves you! Jesus showed the perfect example of that to a woman who was a Harlot. Her name was Mary. She was treated like scum by the religious leaders, looked down upon, and not accepted, but Jesus began to break down their religious presumptions and judgments.
"And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." You know what Jesus said?
Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.”
And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Does Jesus love and accept the sinner? I know if he didn't, he would have never heard my prayers, because I can't claim to be any better than this woman.