Anyone is welcome to read this post, but I'm writing to those who live their lives to follow Jesus. It's not meant to be a social commentary but a reminder to think about what we believe and how we live.
So I saw "Beauty and The Beast" a few weeks ago with my older three children. It was a beautiful remake of the Disney cartoon. The songs were there. The characters were there.
Hearing about the hype regarding the "first openly gay Disney character" when the movie was coming out, I had read stories for and against the movie weeks before. I went in knowing about and looking for these suggestively gay-oriented moments. There was a strong undercurrent of gay pride, but it's hard to know if I would have noticed it as much had I not known it was coming.
The Christian community does have a right to voice our concerns. Freedom of speech should be a human right when done in the right context: speaking the TRUTH in LOVE. If any group pushes their agenda to the point of patronizing those who do not agree, it has crossed the line. The gay-rights supporters pushed their point of view into a family movie. I do not fault Christians for boycotting this movie. (My family saw it at a discount theatre so not sure who gets our money but it wasn't full price.) We need to stand up against things we disagree with however just avoiding spending our money on movies or establishments which support the gay lifestyle is not necessarily the best method to promote our stance either.
Yes we need to clearly make known that the gay lifestyle is wrong according to the Bible ("Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable." Leviticus 18:22), but the underlying truth which we must also state is that God wants His best for every person. His best is a right relationship with Him. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) The bottom line is that every person wants to feel loved. Which would be better: love from the gay community or love from the One who created the universe and who will never leave or forsake you? Don't misunderstand. This is not a situation in which if we live the best we can and do the most good things we win God's love. There is not one single person alive on the earth today who was alive on the day Jesus died on an old cross long ago. And yet on that day, He died for each and every person alive on the earth today. He knew each and every sin all those people including me and you would commit. He died to pay the penalty so we might receive forgiveness.
Some may read this and think being gay is not wrong, just a different lifestyle choice. I think of it this way. My four-year-old son Rylan loves to be in the water. He thinks he can swim which he can in the bathtub. Recently we were at a friend's pool. He was having a great time in the shallow end "swimming". He was really just jumping around and splashing, feet touching the ground. A few minutes later, he got out of the pool, walked to the deep end, and up onto the diving board. No life jacket on. I began saying, "Rylan, stop. Rylan, get off the diving board." Then screaming, "Rylan, get off!!!" Without hesitation, he walked to the end of the diving board and jumped into the water. Thankfully my older son swam quickly into the deep end and pushed Rylan toward the edge where I pulled him out.
So what does that have to do with being gay? Without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a person does not recognize the dangers of living a gay lifestyle. Without a personal conviction, none of us would leave behind the "good" things in life which are actually sinful. So where does that leave us who are following Jesus? We must first pray for God to soften their hearts to the truth of His word. Boycotting movies and avoiding gay-supportive stores may put a small dent in the issue, but it doesn't affect the lives of gay people. PRAYER will. The church catch phrase "Hate the sin, love the sinner" rings true in this case. It appears the gay community does a better job of loving its people than the Christian community does with the people we should be trying to reach with the truth of salvation. I don't encounter gay people often, but when I do I want that person to see me as friendly and not judgmental. Speak the truth in love if there arises an opportunity but leave them wanting to know more of why I have joy. And here's hoping that he or she runs into more Christians who also display that joy until one day they can't help to ask and we say, "It's from knowing Jesus!"