I believe it’s safe to say that Lil Nas X’s ‘Satan Shoes’ are catching the attention of everyone. Wherever your beliefs lie along the spectrum, I guarantee you have some raging opinions over the matter. I also have my own thoughts over the situation, but before I dive into them I want to start out with the purpose behind this post. The purpose is to access God’s vision into all of it. So whoever you are, my hope is that you would read this with an open mind and leave with a broader perspective.
To all of my LGBTQ friends, I first want to start off by acknowledging that I completely understand the reasons why you might support this shoe.
In my opinion of Lil Nas X, it makes sense that he doesn’t mind going to hell if that’s what it takes to be accepted for who he feels like he is and his sexuality. It makes sense that he chose to promote his feelings in an extreme way to get his point across. It makes sense that he wants to hate on Christians who he has felt hated on by and told that he is going to hell for being gay.
So, let’s take a minute to understand what Little Nas X is really seeking underneath all of this. It looks like he’s seeking acceptance, unity, empowerment, equality, validation, indulgence, understanding, joy, pleasure, etc. While also trying to portray that he feels like Christianity has done just about the opposite.
To all of my Christian friends, whether you disagree with Lil Nas X or not, let’s try to understand where he’s coming from. It’s not necessarily about who is right or wrong, it’s about taking a step back and trying to understand the way others are feeling and why.
Feelings are valid. Whether they are right or wrong and I believe it’s safe to say that the feelings of the LGBTQ+ community are not loving towards Christianity. The more Christians get angry, hateful, and judgmental to this shoe the more reason the LGBTQ+ and atheist community has to turn away from the love of Jesus.
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses” -Proverbs 10:12
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” -Luke 6:37
As I started to pray for Little Nas X and all of the hate that he is getting for this ‘Satan Shoe’, the more compassion and sadness I felt for him. I felt and still feel so sad that he feels like Satan is more accepting than Jesus.
You know what this tells me? It tells me that he has never experienced the true love of Christ, that he doesn’t know any better, and that he doesn’t know how loved he is by God. His reality is that God hates him and if he ever wants to be accepted by him he has to change who he feels like he is.
Friends, that is sad for anyone. To be hated on. To be told to change.
Let me remind you of what Jesus said on the cross moments before his crucifixion. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”- Luke 23:34
Instead of Jesus thinking of himself and his own needs, he was thinking of those whose souls were at a much greater risk than his own.
So, I think it’s safe to say that it’s not okay to tell people how they should be living. It’s not okay to tell people who don’t know Jesus everything that isn’t “biblical”. Because the truth is hatred isn’t biblical, judgement isn’t biblical, control isn’t biblical, and self righteousness isn’t biblical. But we all fall short of God’s glory every single day and need Jesus just as much as Little Nas X does.
Before we start telling people that they’re crazy and completely ignoring topics that pull us away from people who are seeking acceptance, unity, empowerment, equality, validation, indulgence, understanding, joy, pleasure, etc. why don’t we approach them the way that Jesus would.
Jesus would listen. He would seek to understand. He would open their minds. He would get them thinking. He would focus on their hearts, rather than their sin. He would do all that he can to help them experience how much he is for everyone despite who they are, where they come from, or how they choose to live their lives.
That is who our God is.
From the bottom of my heart I truly believe it takes time to build a relationship with Jesus. It takes time to stop choosing something that he says isn’t good for us. It takes time to be disciplined by him in our weaknesses. It takes time to fall in love with Jesus and understand why he created things the way that he did.
In 1 John 3:6 it reads, “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.”
Little Nas X has never seen or known Jesus. He doesn’t know or have any reason to believe that choosing Jesus will fulfill all that he truly needs.
Little Nas X and LGBTQ+ community, I just want to say I’m so sorry that as Christian’s we haven’t given you a reason to believe that choosing Jesus will fulfill all of your needs. I’m sorry for all the ways that you’ve felt hated on, told to change, and not accepted.
I hope that our imperfections do not hinder you from finding all that you need in Jesus. I’m sorry that we lack the vulnerability to share the ways we aren’t perfect and portray that we are better than everyone. The truth is Jesus knows that we are no more worthy of his love than anyone else. We are not any better than you.
If this is the first time you’re hearing about the love that Jesus has for you. I am praying that you don’t stop getting to know the character of Jesus. I pray that hateful humans, religion, and institutions that say they represent Jesus wouldn’t get in the way of who he really is.
He is life giving!