Newsflash to all Christians, God loves gay people. Yep. I said it. God loves them just as much as He loves you. In fact, God loves alcoholics, drug addicts, murderers, thieves and prostitutes.
Does that mean that God approves of any of these life choices? Obviously not. However, as Christians, it is important to remember that the two greatest commandments that Jesus gave us in the New Testament. The two greatest commandments read: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (New International Version).
Love God. Love others.
Wait a second, doesn't the Bible condemn homosexuality? Absolutely, the Bible repeatedly condemns homosexuality in the New Testament. However, the Church has refused to equip itself, nor address the needs of reaching out and loving these individuals. Quite frankly, I'm tired of Christians complaining about moral deterioration of our culture and not doing one thing to change the condition in which they complain about.
A near and dear friend of mine, Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski (Sexual Educator and Teacher), continually reiterates this life verse: "Every person is a person of worth." I believe that all Christians would benefit if they too repeated this phrase daily. Did you know that some estimates put the average lifespan of a homosexual at 20 years less than heterosexuals? Or that these individuals are 50% more likely to suffer from depression? Or that they are more likely to risk substance abuse? These statistics are just terrible.
As Christians, how might we make a difference? I believe to answer this question, we have to look at the life Jesus lived and and example he gave to us. In the gospel of Luke 19:1-10, there is a story of Jesus and the tax collector, Zacchaeus. In Jewish culture, tax collectors were despised. They would be the modern day equivalent to a Browns Fan who decides to show up at a Steeler's sport bar. Zacchaeus was interested in hearing Jesus' teaching. However, he was a smaller man and couldn't see Jesus' face. To compensate for his height, he climbed a tree and witnessed the preaching of Jesus. Jesus called out to him: "Come down! I want to stay at your house!" To the crowd's amazement, they said: "He has gone to the house of a sinner." Zacchaeus later repented of his sin and gave half of his possessions to the poor, just like that.
Reach out and build friendships with that person who identifies as LGBT. Love them for who they are and pray that God shows them the path of forgiveness, eternal life and love from a Heavenly Father that truly loves them. Show them how God loves you -- the crazy, messed up, broken human that you are -- and maybe God will make the difference in their life, too.
