Chic-Fil-A and True Religion

Now technically, if we're going to go straight Biblical here, true religion is to look after the widows and the orphans (and I have very strong opinions on how we need to be doing better about the orphans/ fatherless than we are... another post for another day).  But what I'm proposing is something that, while James does not directly mention it, I believe to fall under the whole "What would Jesus do" question.

I didn't go to Chic-fil-a yesterday.  It wasn't out of protest against Chic-fil-a's views.  I personally agree with the thought that marriage, as designed by God, is meant for one man and one woman to enjoy together. (Also other posts for other days would include diving into whether most Christian marriages are actually honoring God with how husbands and wives treat each other.  Does your marriage, does my marriage, reflect the beauty that God meant for it to have?  If not, I would question why it matters who can and can't get married since we're not really living out the story of God and his church through marriage either way... but that's for another day).

I didn't not go because I think it was a bad idea.  If you want to go out and support a local business that you like, go for it.  And if that happens to be on a day when tons of other people want to stand in line to go too, great.  More power to you.

I didn't go because I don't exactly think that God in the flesh would have been there in his car, waiting to be served tasty chicken to prove something to others.  Would Christ be there to show the world that true religion is supporting a business that morally thinks the way I do?  (Side note- I don't think supporting businesses that support similar morals as you or me is wrong, I just think we begin to walk a dangerous line when we see it as an act of showing the world our faith and stance on God and church and marriage.)

But- have no fear good-hearted, well meaning Christians.  We still have a chance to do some good, true, pure religion here. 

On July 19 the LGBTQ community called for August 3 to be National Same-Sex Kiss Day.  And, according to the Facebook count as I write 12,050 people are planing to attend with another 100,000+ still deciding.  That's some huge numbers of people turning out to show how offended or hurt or angry or fill in the blank that they are because of all of this.  That's over 100,000 people that we have the chance to show what Jesus would really do in this.  So here's my challenge:

Grab your I Love Jesus shirt, or a shirt for your church or youth group and as many ice cold waters as you can (because if your weather is anything like it's been here -113 today and not cooling off anytime soon- people are going to be hot even at 7:00pm CST) and head down to your nearest Chic-fil-a.  Then with sincere love and kindness offer the water and a smile and, if they'll let you, a hug, to each person that is there to show how wrong we are.  Show them the love of God and show them that they are people just as worthy of the love and grace of God as we are.

Ready, set, go.