I have a thing for rainbows. Promises from God. Beauty shooting out of the sky.

My rainbow obsession may be interpreted as gay pride. I’m okay with that. I love gay people.

I love India. I love Indians. I love my husband. Sometimes on India’s Independence Day I wear an Indian flag pinned to my shirt. The Indian flag has a Hindu symbol on it. You may think I’m Hindu. I’m okay with that. I love Hindu people.

Many of my friends and family are of other cultures and beliefs. Some, even lack of a belief (gasp… atheists!!). You may think I’m a liberal. Lukewarm. I’m okay with that.

I don’t mind if you want to label me any of these things. What I mind is if you view a relationship with me (or my husband or my friends) as a mission. A project. Needing to be changed or convinced by you personally.

This is not relationship.

Therefore I attempt to put no such weight on others. This frees me to love them, as they have always loved me. Without agendas or conditions. Unafraid. With my whole heart.

People are not “issues”, “missions” or “projects”, and I don’t think it’s any secret where I stand. I stand with the marginalized. I hope and pray I will always stand where Jesus would be found standing.

Not holding a “I love them but I don’t agree with them” sign. Sometimes just standing.

Imagine for just a second…

What if we walked alongside one another without shouting “disagreement” as a divisive love disclaimer? What if we said I love you, PERIOD, because you are my friend.

What if we treated all people as though they were created in the image of God. Because they are. Whether they believe in Him or not.

What would that look like? I’m thinkin’ it might look a lot like kinship.

Love, Valerie