What do Christians and Gays have in common?
May 6, 2007
On my way home from church yesterday, I saw a Rainbow Flag perched on the roof of a building, gently caressed by the cool mid-afternoon breeze.
I assumed that the building was a Gay establishment given that the Rainbow (also known as the PACE/PEACE Flag) is associated with the gay community.
Rainbow flags have been long associated with diversity, inclusiveness and hope and I couldn’t help but draw parallels with this and the gospel of Christ.
What I thought about when I saw the rainbow flag…
THE RAINBOW: I thought about the Bible story of Noah and the Ark when God gave the him the sign of a Rainbow as a promise. (Watch the story of Noah and the Ark here).
DIVERSITY: I also thought about the story of creation where God created diversity. In Australia alone, there are more than 25,000 species of flowering plants. There are about 9,000 known species of birds in the world today. There is diversity in EVERYTHING that God created. (Watch the creation story here)
INCLUSIVENESS: I thought about the message of salvation and the unconditional love of God which is available to ALL of mankind: whether Black or White, Christian or Muslim, Gay or Straight, Conservative or Liberal; ALL are valued by God. (Read it from the Bible here)
HOPE: I thought about when I first discovered and appreciated the concept of hope for all of mankind. Quite ironically, it was at a church called New Hope. God gives us hope when we feel hopeless, He gives us hope when our lives just don’t seem to be going anywhere, hope when there is depression, hope when there is financial crisis. No matter what the situation, anyone who believes in Him has access to what is called ‘the blessed hope’.
When looked upon with an open mind, the rainbow flag, the symbol of a faction of society looked down upon by many in Christendom, has a message for us all. It tells of a God that celebrates diversity, a God whose love breaks down every barrier that man has set up and a God who offers hope for a dying world.
The very foundation of Christianity is summed up in one word: LOVE. Love for our friends, love for our neighbors, love for our enemies, love for the neglected, love for the abused, love, love, love!
The next time you see a rainbow flag, put aside your preconceived notions (or prejudices) for just one moment and think about love, God’s unconditional love for all of mankind.
Finally, exercise that love the way Christ meant it to be exercised. This love, once exercised correctly has the power to change countless lives for the better. The rainbow, once scorned would now comfortably be a representation of Christendom because in the right context, it is a true representation of Christ’s character.
From my heart, to yours,
Akhenaton
