Ellen.

Ellen DeGeneres.

The past couple months I have been watching Ellen almost every day. There is something so captivating about her. Her laugh, her energy, her sense of humor, and her love for other people.

I found myself super defensive of her when I heard about some followers of Christ making a disgusted noise when she came up in a conversation. Today I have been so passionate about asking Jesus why I feel so strongly about this defensive feeling I have for Ellen. I am determined to seek his heart and his understanding in why I have this burning in me to fight for Ellen.

Ellen lives a life that I don’t agree with because it doesn't agree with what Jesus teaches in the bible.
Matthew 19: 4-6
“‘Haven’t you read the Scriptures?’ Jesus replied. ‘They record that from the beginning God made them male and female. And he said, This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.’”
1 Corinthians 6: 9
“Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,”
1 Timothy 1:10
“The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching”

Although I personally do not support this type of living situation because of what Jesus says about it, does that mean that I shouldn’t love her?
Matthew 19:19
“Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22: 39
“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Romans 13: 9-10
“The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Jesus gave us all talents to use here on earth. Some of us have great talents and some of us have smaller talents. In Matthew 25: 15 it says,
“To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability, Then he went on his journey.”
We use our God given talents to glorify God and to show his goodness and love.

Jesus gave Ellen a talent to make others laugh so unbelievably hard! Jesus gave her a heart to give and love on others. Jesus loves her! Jesus calls his people to love their brothers and sisters. Should we as followers of Jesus speak negative words about her just because her sin is different than ours? No.

I think our church body is doing a better job in teaching the people of God to love others unconditionally. But I think that there is still a massive need for Christians to love others under any situation no matter how they live their life.

See Ellen loves people so well. She constantly uses her talents, that God gave her, to make a living for herself, and the money that she makes she returns to the poor and the broken and the hurt. So many stories of people getting blessed by Ellen. She loves on all these people unconditionally and I think thats why people are so drawn to her.

Although I believe what the bible says about homosexuality, I think as a people of God we can learn from Ellen. How many of us just walk by the person that is so broken and just wants to be heard out and given a hug? How many of us just bless each other and stick in our own bubbles instead of really looking at what hurt strangers need? Ellen has the opportunity to bless people all over, and she grabs it at every chance she gets. If we as the body of Christ were to be more like that then don’t you think that more people would be drawn to us which in turn is drawn towards Jesus?

I see so many people being pushed away and shut down because they find out that the person they are talking to is a Christian. For a while I didn’t want to say I was a Christian, I just wanted to say that I was a follower of Jesus. Why are people so pushed away from the title of a Christian? Why do people back away and shut down once they find out they are talking to someone that is a Christian? Is it because they feel like they will be judged? Or told that they need to straiten their life out? Or is it because they feel ashamed in their life and don't want to feel more guilt and sadness by the choices that they have made?

Whats so interesting is that we as Christians are not here to judge them. God is our only judge.
Romans 14: 10-14
“You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgement seat. It is written:
‘As surely as I live, says the Lord,
every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.’
So then, each of us will give an account to himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling black or obstacle in your brother’s way.”
Psalm 76:9
“When you, O God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land.”
Psalm 82: 8
“Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.”
Romans 2:2
“We know that God is right to judge everyone who behaves in his way.”
Psalm 7:11
“God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.”

We are sent here to love them and share the good news. Not look down on others and say, “oh man did you ever screw up!” Thats not our job! It’s not our place because we have all sinned in some way. That’s where we get to share, “hey I have really messed up too, and the good news of Jesus Christ is that we are forgiven and set free from all of that shame and brokenness! You don't have to feel that pain anymore. You don't have to feel like people are judging you or looking down on you because its not your problem to carry anymore. Jesus took your problem and nailed it to the cross. You have been set free!”

I am the fist to say that I need to work on everything I am writing about. I am not perfect. I sin everyday! But I would love to work on loving people greater and be a light that people are drawn too because of the love I share, just like the love that Ellen shares. But instead of how people are drawn to Ellen, when I love they will be drawn to Jesus and his goodness and faithfulness.

I am still seeking this topic out with Jesus. I have so many more questions and thoughts about this topic that is growing so great in our society. I just thought I would share what I am seeking out!