Woodlawn, a movie that came out last fall, ended with a song I hadn’t heard or thought about in years, By Our Love, sung by for King and Country from A.D. The Bible Continues. Written by Peter Scholtes (according to Wikipedia) near the end of the turbulent 60’s, By Our Love reminds believers that being one in the Spirit means they should display unity and the kind of love the world can’t help but notice.

As I was thinking about last night’s terrorist attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, that song came to mind. The distinctive mark of the early Christian church was love. And the ancient world took notice. Love is still the most distinctive thing the church has to offer to a hurting world, and right now, the city of Orlando is hurting. While Christians can’t approve of or affirm the gay lifestyle, they can reach out in Christian love to the family and friends of those killed and injured in the attack.

If Christians take this opportunity to show love and grace to their LGBT neighbors in the aftermath of this terrible event, it’s possible that what Satan meant for evil, God can use for good. And just maybe the people in at least one city will begin to know us by our love.