Today, December 1, is world AIDS day 2008.
There are over 1 million people in the U.S. living with AIDS and over 33 Million people worldwide.
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That’s a HUGE number.
According to government statistics, over 56,300 people become infected with AIDS in the USA every year. EVERY YEAR.
What does that have to do with the Church?
Well, the top two ways that HIV/AIDS is spread are:
- through sexual transmission
- using contaminated needles
The problem is we, the Church, tend to look down on people who have sex outside of marriage and on people who use drugs.
Although we may not want to admit it, we all too often look on them with disdain and even secretly think that if they get diseases from their lifestyle then they are just getting what they deserve.
This thinking is so, so wrong.
Yes, God clearly says that sex outside of marriage is wrong and drug use is also clearly wrong and yes, we need to speak out against these things but what is also clear from the New Testament is that when people do these things, we have to love them anyway. Hate the sin but love the sinner. That’s what God does to us!
So instead of looking down on people because of what they are doing, we need to get out there and help.
- We need to help the addicts get clean and then we need to help them stay clean.
- We need to help those who see sex as a form of casual entertainment understand how sex is a gift from God to be shared within the bounds of marriage.
- Where possible, we need to help people find a way out of the mess that they have gotten themselves into. If not we need to find ways to offer them some relief from their pain.
- Most importantly though we need to show them the amazing love of God.
Even if we could stop the spread of AIDS today, there are still 33 Million people on this planet suffering with it.
How can we believe that we are showing the love of God to people if we are ignoring such great suffering among so many people.
What can you do to help with this AIDS epidemic? What can you do to show God’s love to these precious people?
Good message.
Really touching hearing this from a church person.
Thanks for sharing and for caring.
Us ‘church people’ aren’t all what the stereotype says we are!
Thanks for the comments SimplyForties and A.Eye
AND we need to identify and challenge and undermine the principalities and powers of this world that create the imbalances and inequities where HIV/AIDS can flourish. Thank you for a good post.
It is time that Christians be known more for what they are for then for what they are against.
Thanks for the great post!
I believe that education is crucial to create AIDS awareness.
A lot of people still see AIDS as a taboo subject. Particularly in Asia. Hence it prevents people to learn more. A lot of people prefer to avoid the subject and bury it under ground.
Regards,
JJ
Fixed error – Underground.
I didn’t realize it.
Regards,
JJ