🌈 Pride in the Image of God

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.” 

— Psalm 139:14

 

“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” 

— Galatians 3:28

 

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 

— 2 Timothy 1:7

 

Pride Month is often seen as a celebration—of identity, visibility, survival, and love. But for LGBTQ+ Christians, it is also a sacred invitation to reclaim our place in the story of God’s people. To be LGBTQ+ and Christian is not a contradiction. It is a divine calling to live authentically, in the truth of who we are, as beloved children created in God’s own image.

 

Pride is not about arrogance or rebellion; it is about dignity. It is about standing tall in a world that has too often tried to make us small. It is about refusing shame. And it is about remembering that the same God who knit us together in the womb did so with care, intention, and joy.

 

Too many of us have heard the message that God’s love must be earned by becoming someone else. But the gospel tells a different story—a story of radical welcome, unearned grace, and a Savior who broke down barriers and sought out the marginalized. Jesus didn’t conform to religious expectations. He loved expansively, healed indiscriminately, and told us not to be afraid.

 

This Pride Month, hear this truth clearly: You are not a mistake. You are not outside the reach of grace. You are part of the Body of Christ. Your love, your life, your truth—they matter deeply to God.

 

Take pride in the Spirit’s power within you. Take pride in your survival and in your joy. Take pride in your faith, not despite who you are, but because of who you are.

 

We should thank God for creating us wonderfully and wholly. In a world that sometimes denies us dignity, He remind us that we are His. Let Pride Month be a season of healing, joy, and holy resistance. We should walk in the confidence of God’s love, stand in the truth of His grace, and shine with the light He placed within us. We must always remember to love others with that same wild, welcoming love.

 

So, this Pride Month let’s go forth in love and boldness, knowing we are a living reflection of God’s creativity. Our lives are a testimony of truth, resilience, and grace. This Pride Month—and always—walk proudly in the name of the One who made you exactly as you are: deeply loved, beautifully queer, and wholly divine.

 

🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️