I received a message from a mom yesterday afternoon about a post she had seen on a friend's page. She was upset as this man was spewing all kinds of hateful stuff relating to lgbtq and how "they're opening Pandora's Box and no wonder there was so much pedophilia, and diseases etc". She tagged me in the post hoping that maybe I could help explain things, as her family (her transgender daughter) is not out so she was limited in what she could say. For some reason I wasn't able to comment on that particular post so she set me up with a chat with the three of us.
He already had three paragraphs of comments out before I even had a chance to say hello. I messaged this mom and told her to just let him run it out and say what he needed to say. He kept going on and on and on especially about transgender and how sick they are, and how science doesn't back them, etc. As He continued talked about about amputations and diseases stats and I think at one point I finally got in a comment about "Maybe you should Take a Breath?" And I watched that quickly go up the page as he continued on and on and on.
This mom explained to me how frustrated and hurt she was that this person was saying all this stuff basically (even though he didn't know) about her kid. I managed to collect some legitimate scientific/medical research articles waiting for the opportunity to be able to send them to him knowing he probably wasn't going to read them anyway, but I figured I'd give him the chance. And then he finally said his battery was going dead and that he needed to go plug it in but that if we wanted to debate him he was definitely up for it and he would be back. 
This man was not interested in hearing us or what we had to say, all he was interested in was spewing his fear and Hate. I wonder what brought so much fear that he wouldn't even attempt to try to listen to someone who may have a different point of view and information than he. I wonder what brought so much fear that he couldn't even stop to take a breath maybe for fear he might see something that he may have to address.
I thought about it for a little bit and something about this reminded me of my Dad. When those "Visitors" used to come and knock on the door, you know, to do their talk, trying to convert you? My Dad used to invite them into the house and to have a seat in our living room. Out of respect he would tell them "I will listen to everything you have to say, as long as you do the same for me in return". My dad Loved Jesus and he was secure in knowing Jesus Loved him too. Listening to these visitors wasn't going to shake that but he thought that maybe, just maybe there would be something that he could share with them that might plant a seed.
When we take the time to listen to people we hear all kinds of things. Frustration, fear, sadness, loneliness, usually there is something behind those things we hear. It doesn't always work (like this one guy) but taking the time to listen may be key to easing the emotions of someone else.
When we take the time to listen to Jesus what do you think He wants us to hear?
This mom and I knew we we're only involved in a one-sided conversation so she and I decided that we would go ahead post those articles that I had found for him and we would leave the chat without saying anything. I'm actually hoping that this guy took the time to read them so someday he would know that this moms' transgender daughter and my transgender son are human too.
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