To be a commoner Part II : The Knowledge and Wisdom of a Gangbanger

In a dysfunctional religious group, the main tactic is to demonize anyone who leaves the group. Sometimes, those still in the group need to be reminded of the loved ones left behind. We are not
trash, demons or reprobates. We suffer the scars of the separation and the pain never goes away.
Why? We refuse to stop loving those who cast us aside. We refuse to believe the love we invested in them and shared with them over many years, from  the cradle to the parting, has somehow dissipated
to nothing.

We cannot stop loving them and never will. We hold on to hope because it is what Jesus would do.

Tupac Shakur's tribute to his mother. He is gone now, but he took us through the right approach to those who cannot help but love.

When I was young me and my mama had beef
Seventeen years old kicked out on the streets
Though back at the time, I never thought I'd see her face
Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place

When things went wrong we'd blame mama
I reminice on the stress I caused, it was hell

You always was a queen, mama
I finally understand
for a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a me
You always was committed
A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it
There's no way I can pay you back
But the plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady
Dear mama

Place no one above ya, sweet lady
You are appreciated
Don't cha know we love ya?

Now ain't nobody tell us it was fair
No love from my daddy cause the coward wasn't there
He passed away and I didn't cry, cause my anger
wouldn't let me feel for a stranger
They say I'm wrong and I'm heartless, but all along
I was lookin for a father he was gone

Cause when I was low you was there for me
And never left me alone because you cared for me
And I could see you comin home after work late
You're in the kitchen tryin to fix us a hot plate
Ya just workin with the scraps you was given
And mama made miracles every Thanksgivin
But now the road got rough, you're alone
You're tryin to raise two bad kids on your own
And there's no way I can pay you back
But my plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

I can always depend on my mama
And when it seems that I'm hopeless
You say the words that can get me back in focus
When I was sick as a little kid
To keep me happy there's no limit to the things you did
And all my childhood memories
Are full of all the sweet things you did for me
And even though I act craaazy
I gotta thank the Lord that you made me
There are no words that can express how I feel
You never kept a secret, always stayed real
And I appreciate, how you raised me
And all the extra love that you gave me
I wish I could take the pain away
If you can make it through the night there's a brighter day
Everything will be alright if ya hold on
It's a struggle everyday, gotta roll on
And there's no way I can pay you back
But my plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

                                                   Tupac 

Why Tupac Shakur here as an example? Why a  gangbanger who dealt drugs, possibly shot others and someone we would probably try to avoid by crossing to the other side of the street?

Answer: Not to speak for him, but in his own words, he did not break the second commandment: Honor your father and mother. Moreover, if you read the above there is no doubt you see more than honor, you see love...you can even feel it. .

He understood something many inside a dysfunctional religious group fail to recognize:

To those still on the inside: Remember You owe some loved ones everything. 

We, the parents, children and dear friends who love you will never stop waiting. How can we?

We will be there when like us, you are cast aside by those you follow once your usefulness to them has expired.

In part I, I listed the importance of the Blood. To extend on that point,
Blood is thicker than the baptismal font and it is also the entry point
to the Lord's Kingdom and mercy.

Blood is our only link to God our Father, there is no other. When God the Father looks at us, He does not see the sin and the transgression even sometimes the hate one has had for Him. He sees the blood of the Lamb covering us. There is no baptism of the Spirit or Water that can augment that. In any Systematic theology  worth its salt (not the one made up by False Leaders), the Blood stands alone as the solution offered to sin BY GOD HIMSELF.

Blood it thicker than anything: even a gangbanger knows that.