Come … and help us*

Acts 16:9-15: “During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.'” Now there is a story of evangelism. Paul has a dream. But the best part is that the man in the dream says “Help us.” It reminds me of that time in New York City 20 years ago when I went to the gay community center for an event about the Bible. They had set out 50 chairs but easily 250 people showed up. The place was packed. Now, I was in seminary at the time, so I recognized that the presentation was unsophisticated at best, although nothing incorrect was said much of the nuance was missing. Still, people were moved. There were lots of the usual questions about spilling seed and lying with a man, but eventually an older gentleman, by his own admission 85 or so, weeping, said “Do you mean I can be a child of God too?”

It tore me to pieces. Mainly because, although the Episcopal Church has mostly a very accepting approach to the Gospel, we just are lousy at letting people know. You see, these older gay people have been so abused by so-called “Christians” their whole lives that they just do not easily believe that somehow, suddenly, all has changed. So if we want to reach them, we have to literally reach them. But here was a gentleman asking, just like in Paul’s dream, “help.”

Paul had to sail, and travel  by donkey or on foot. And then he had to scope out the town and figure out where it was safe to preach. And when he got there it wasn’t an audience of the town’s best and there was no honorarium. It was a patch outside of the gate by a river, sitting on a rock, and talking to a working woman. But she heard the Gospel and invited them in.

That has been my experience as an evangelist in the gay community. The “church” itself looks down on my work, because it isn’t in a stone building with a pipe organ, but is on the streets and in bars and in community centers, and yes, sometimes on a rock by a stream. And I don’t talk to the “movers and shakers,” rather I talk to those who seek Christ, whoever they might be. I talk to those who ask in some way for me to  “come … and help us.”

So to all who read this blog I say that this is God’s mission for us, to say to God’s created glbt people that the good news of salvation is for you too. And all it requires is that you believe. In John 14 Jesus says “those who love me will keep my word.” And he means to love one another. So you see there is no special gay approach. But, the one thing we must do as gay people is to be as ready and open as that Macedonian woman, after a hard day’s work, by the river. We have to be open to receive the gift that God wants to give us.

That means we have to be fully who we are. There has been lots of hype this week about the professional basketball player who came out. But there is rejoicing in heaven every time any one of God’s children recognizes his created gay self and comes out. God wants you to be who God made you to be. And in that createdness you will find the openness to receive the good news of salvation. God loves you, gay as you are, God wants you, gay as you are, to be a lover of souls too.

6 Easter (Acts 16:9-15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5; John 14:23-29)

©2013 The Rev. Dr. Richard P. Smiraglia. All rights reserved.