Yesterday I went with a friend to a unique store. We arrived early and got in line with many others who were waiting. The man and woman in front of us began chatting, and we had a wonderful conversation with them. It was such a sweet gift in the day.

I love it when I go to the local grocery or consignment stores. I always meet someone. I joke around and tell people I meet new friends everywhere. It simply starts with a hello, and we go from there.

I am a Christian. Somehow if I started conversations telling people that, I believe my conversations may go differently at times. Many preconceived ideas come with that term.

Over the last couple of months, I did a series on love. This came out of wanting to understand what God’s love really looks like in living life with others. Everyone has different opinions on it, inside and outside the church. I desired to understand what God said about it.

Recently the Supreme Court made some decisions that everyone has an opinion on also. Posts on social media went crazy as everyone put all of their views out there. One mainly got me thinking a little bit.

To sum it up, it basically said if you are Pro-life, that means you have to accept everything that is going on. It was communicating that if you disapprove of certain lifestyles, you are not pro-life.

I try to stay away from these conversations, and I am not trying to start an argument, but I am trying to break a box today.

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Those people I talked to in the stores, we don’t know each other. I don’t know what they believe or how they live, but there is a love for people in my heart, no matter what. I do believe every life matters. I am pro-life all the way through.

I love all people, but I don’t agree with all lifestyles.

I believe every life matters; not one is worth more than another, but I wouldn’t say I like the way some live. I don’t always agree with their decisions, and I don’t have to like or approve of all of that to love people.

I understand that some Christians and others have said and done things that I don’t agree with or like. But please don’t put me in a box because I am a Christian too.

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Not only am I a Christian, but most importantly, I am a Christ Follower. No matter who I vote for, it doesn’t mean I follow them. I follow Jesus. He is the one I want to look like, not anyone else.

So please don’t put me in a box.

Yesterday was a fun day. I had some sweet conversations, and I will pray for those I talked with then. I don’t know what they think, know, or believe, but they are people God created, and I walked away from those conversations with love in my heart for them.

It isn’t all one way or another. Loving people doesn’t mean agreeing with everything and believing someone’s life matters and is valuable; it doesn’t depend on anything except the truth that they are human beings, created by God.

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I am looking forward to tomorrow when I go out again. I wonder who will be in the store, or the park, or my neighborhood. Either way, I can’t wait for the next conversation with a new friend and for a chance to see someone, listen to someone, and be a friend to someone who needs one that day.

So the next time someone says they are a Christian, please don’t put them in a box. Take time to get to know them and their heart, and prayerfully you will see the heart of Jesus.