5 Ways Christians Can Love Transgender People

With the spotlight on the transgender community lately, it seems that many Christians have taken to their computers to launch into a public "cyber-stoning" of prominent transgender faces, in particular Caitlyn Jenner. On the day after she received the ESPY Arthur Ashe award, I stumbled upon a post on the subject from a popular and well-known American pastor that had gone viral. As I began to read it, I was hopeful that it would be a reminder for Christians to set aside criticism, judgement and hate while sharing their opinions on the matter, but what I found was that it resembled something short of an attack on Caitlyn, which set off a public shaming of her as a human being--from other Christians. As, I scrolled through the 52,000 comments (and counting!), I found an overwhelming amount were wrought with hatred, judgement and disgust—the very opposite of what the Bible teaches. So I’d like to share some reminders from the Bible on just how Christians should be responding to Caitlyn and fellow transgender people.

Where is the compassion?

We should care. We should care, GREATLY. As a Christian, when someone is going through a struggle, our first response should be compassion. Pushing them away and closing the door to anyone, especially to someone going through a tough time, is a terrible witness to Christ and makes for a bad evangelism tool. The entire Bible is founded on compassion and it’s our job as Christians to exemplify the teachings of the Bible by being compassionate to others. Paul explains exactly how we should respond to our transgender neighbors in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, "And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all." Paul continues this reminder in Romans, "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions." (Romans 14:1)

Where is the respect and gentleness?

What’s the best way to damage the credibility of the Gospel? Name-calling. It’s hurtful, damaging and completely counter-Christ. We are to speak truth yes, but the Bible makes it abundantly clear that we are to make every word from our mouth one filled with gentleness and respect. Ephesians is full of examples of how we should treat each other, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear it" (Ephesians 4:29). And then in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Where is the love?

Love. Kindness. Gentleness. Respect. Compassion. Truth. These are all the responses we should have towards the transgender community (and everyone!). And that’s the awe-inspiring thing about Jesus. He embodies all these things because He truly knows love without condition--because he IS love. That’s how I know exactly how He’d respond on earth today to Caitlyn, Laverne, Chaz, etc., because he said so in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." The Apostle Peter beautifully reminds us of Jesus’ commandment in 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." Jesus, the man that knew no sin, yet took on our sin so that we may have eternal life, is the VERY defintion of love wins.