Monday Leftovers (World Aids Day)

For today's leftovers, I want to focus on an event that I went to this past Saturday. I had the privilege of giving the invocation at the Coastal Bend Aids Foundation annual World Aids Day Red Ribbon Ball. This was the 3rd year that I have been able to do this. I believe that because of the efforts of Rick Warren and a few other Christian leaders, the stigma of Aids is diminishing. It is not gone, and there is still much work to be done, but it is time for believers to be proactive in this effort.

Yes, there is a lifestyle at times associated with Aids that God does not endorse (nor does He endorse adultery, alcoholism, and other sins that we commit), but I believe that believers need to start making inroads to the homosexual community in order to show them an alternative to the alternative lifestyle. Let me also make it perfectly clear that there are many with Aids that have not lived an immoral lifestyle. We, as believers, need to show compassion and mercy to these also.

This isn't a political issue, it is a moral/spiritual issue for every believer. All we have to do is take a look at Jesus' life and look at who he walked with and ministered to. Jesus was with prostitutes, tax collectors, fishermen, those with leprosy, etc. Leprosy was that day's Aids. Those that had it were banished from the community, destined to live life by themselves (no, there wasn't a lifestyle issue, but the stigma was the same). Jesus healed many people with leprosy. I believe Jesus would go to the Aids community today and heal many, in order to deliver them for His glory. We may not be able to heal those with Aids, but we can pray for them and for healing for them, we can love them reguardless of any lifestyle, and we can pray for spiritual healing to occur so that others will be delivered.

I realize that I am in the minority in the Christian community on this issue, but we as believers need to take a closer look at Jesus' ministry. If we are to ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?", I believe God's word has already shown us what He did in relation to this issue.