Transgender Day of Remembrance

Yesterday (November 20) was Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) - an annual observance honouring the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of violence.

I think as Christians, many of us remain at arms length from transgender people as though biblical rightness is our objective.

But it isn't. Biblical welcome is.

Accepting the other as Christ has accepted us. Which, as we too often forget, is to be welcomed as we are, without the prerequisites of having the right faith, the right doctrine, or even the right behaviour.

For those outside the margins of faithfulness, let alone doing what is right - which most of us are - what wins us over to Christ is his love.

To the woman at the well who had 5 husbands, Jesus didn't preach a sermon about marriage and infidelity. He spoke instead of God’s quest for worshippers whose passion rivalled hers. (see John 4:4-42)

To the woman caught in adultery, he said: 'neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.’ (see John 8:1-11)

Unless we do likewise, we will be chasing from our lives the very people Christ identifies with most.