Perceptions.

First off, I would like to say in introduction to this blog that I entirely and wholeheartedly believe that God created man for woman and woman for man. This is what He perfectly put together and anything apart from it is not what God had intended.
With that as my base, I want to discuss our role as Christians in training and encouraging youth to grow up and have healthy marriages.
This morning when I was at church, a family was reading scripture on stage. Each of their children had a chance to read part of scripture. One of the boys, about the age of sixteen got up and began to read. His voice and body language came across very feminine. In my thoughts, I was thinking, "Wow, he seems like he could be gay." At that point, the Holy Spirit really started stirring the pot in my heart about this subject.
In our society, if a boy talks or has body language that is feminine, then he is thought to be gay. If he likes pink, fashion, or is not into the typical guy interests, people question his sexuality. The same is for girls that seem to be tomboys, wear their hair short, or dress like one of the guys. We are trying to fit each young boy or young girl into a small little box. We don't allow them to be who they are in Christ and be who they are. We try and mold them into what culture says is normal.
In this world, there are some people that truly despise God. They take anything that is pure and lovely and make it disgusting. God created man and woman to love each other and have a beautiful life together. Some of these people that despise God and don't have a true relationship with Him seek after things to fill the void. They keep searching and searching and it sends them down a dark and perverted road.
Most youth are trying to find out who they are. They don't have a dark and hardened heart. Some of these youth grow up in Christian homes, they are not predators that lurk in shadows. Think of when you were a youth, questioning each day who you are and how you fit into this world. Unsure who you should be now, let alone who you want to become in the future. Now imagine trying to be yourself, but in being you, you talk a certain way or have certain interests. Suddenly, people start questioning your sexuality and start spreading rumors that you are gay. You hear it so much, that you begin to believe the lies.
In high school, I was teased a lot, because I asked a lot of questions in school. I was very interested in learning, so I would ask questions, but the rest of the class treated me like I was stupid. After being teased on a frequent basis, I began to believe that is who I really was. Everyone was saying I was stupid, so I must be. What ended up happening was I was brought down to the level of the perceptions of me. It wasn't until I went off to college and started my career that I began to realize who I truly am and the unlimited potential I have through Christ.
So what is a Christian's role in this topic? We need to encourage our youth to be who they are. If you know people are teasing them about their sexuality, we need to be very firm with them and let them know that God created everyone to be different. Some women like to fish and hunt and play basketball. What does that have to do with being gay? Some men like pink, they like to dance, and they like to dress in fashionable clothes? What is wrong with that?
As I sat in church and heard that boy read the scripture, all I should have been thinking was, "Wow. What a blessing he is to be reading this scripture for us.", "What an inspiration." I really questioned my heart and the stereotypes and prejudices that I have. I think that I am doing such an injustice to those around me, if I start to categorize what is normal or not normal for a boy or girl. God created each of us to be different and the faster we learn to appreciate our differences, the healthier the youth and ourselves will become.
A boy that plays with Barbies and loves to have tea with his mommy can grow up to be a warrior for Christ, a loving father and a passionate husband to his wife.
A girl that likes short haircuts, wears basketball shorts, and hangs with the boys, can be a beautiful woman of God that is pure and lovely.
So, there is a fork in the road...will you encourage them to be who they are, or will you put them in your box? Both roads lead to two very different places.