Imago Dei

Here’s a guy who really knows what it’s all about. 

Our purposes for going over to the gay pride festival were completely innocent. We didn’t plan on doing ministry and we didn’t plan on telling people they were going to burn in hell for committing a sin - there are enough people in this world trying to feel good about themselves. The reason we wanted to go over there was to check out this guy’s sound equipment. He offered to let us use his services for an event we were planning in August.

Walking across the street to go to the park, we were a little nervous. I have gay friends but I’ve never been to a massive gathering of them. We decided if anybody wanted to do anything to us, we would just love on them like Jesus. We weren’t there to condemn anybody. Christ loved us into being something better than what we were. I thought we should do the same; however, we weren’t even to the park yet and we encountered opposition.

“What you’re doing is wrong,” some guy said to me wearing a burn-in-hell shirt.

I said, “Umm… no, it’s not,” because I knew full well checking out a guys sound system while surrounded by human beings was not wrong.

“You should be scared,” he said back.

I don’t understand why “Christians” feel the desire to condemn others (Jn. 3.17). So I raised my fist in the air and said, “Well then - I’m going in!”

You see, this guy didn’t condemn the people participating in the festival just because he disagreed with them. But there were plenty of “Christians” who were throwing condemnation around like it’s the new black.

Outside the park we stood on the street corner waiting to cross the street, the entire time being judged by the nice little “Christians” sitting there, shouting at us. I felt like my home was being prepared in hell - nice cushy pillow and all. They tried handing us a track - you know, the little pieces of paper that tell people about Jesus. They just handed it to us. We refused it and told them they should probably read it.

I couldn’t help but think of how nice all of the gay people were to us and how condemning the Christians were. I think if I had gone back, I would have wanted to sit and just “be” with the gay people. I honestly felt like throwing rocks at the Christians on the street corner. I didn’t “feel the love” from them; I only felt hatred.

I guess I still marvel at grace. I’ve never been gay and truly don’t ever want to be. The thing is we’re all sinners saved by grace - saved by Jesus. It’s not because we deserve it, it’s because God loves us. Those people aren’t going to hell any more for being “gay” than I will for being a liar. But I think there comes a point where we realize the intensity of this Love and it changes us, including our lifestyles. This adventure changed me, changed my perspective, and gave me a renewed ability to love people for who they are, not what they do.

I just hope that I never do throw rocks in the name of love.

What a great attitude to have! I know that I have thrown rocks in the name of love before. I hate that I have. But I like to think that I don’t anymore. And it makes me so angry when I see other people do it. But all I can do is love on the haters and keep on going.

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