July 5, 1978--Assailants confess to planning--and carrying out--an assault on several gay men.
December 4, 1995--Lesbian couple murdered by Robert Acremant who stated that he had "no compassion" for bisexual or homosexual people.
May 19, 2013--Marc Carson was followed, taunted and then shot to death while out walking with a friend.
September 16, 2014--Gay couple walking to dinner in Philadelphia brutally attacked; said to be a hate crime.
June 12, 2016--49 killed, at least 53 wounded in the Pulse nightclub shooting.
The LGBT community has gained much freedom since our country's early years, but it has not been without loss and tragedy. Isn't it eye opening? These are only a few instances of violence in the United States and although they did not receive publicity like the Orlando shooting, this hate has been brewing since the beginning of time.
Last month I put up the "We are Orlando" banner on my profile picture. I studied the picture, clicked post, looked at the picture for another 30 seconds and decided that it would be best if I removed the banner. It saddens me that my heart for the LGBT community was momentarily trumped by my desire to appease my friends and family. Brothers and sisters, I am deeply troubled. In this time of mourning I realize that Christians will not rally around the gay community. The majority of Christians will say, "What a shame..." or "What is the world coming to?" But what they will not say is, "I am grieving for the loss inOrlando." They will not say, "My heart breaks for the victims and their families." Friends, my heart does break. My heart is physically in pain for the lives lost and the hate that caused this tragedy. These are human lives. So why is the Church afraid to grieve with the gay community?
Let me just point something out here, nowhere in the Bible does it say that we are supposed to make people do the "right thing.” We are not called to implement any laws. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. What an opportunity that is, my friends. Do not be afraid of offending your family. Jesus himself said, "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life." Do not be ashamed to grieve with the gay community. Romans 12:15, "...weep with those who weep." Do not shrink back when given the opportunity to uplift someone. What did Jesus do with his hands? Did he point his finger at people? Did he say, "Here let me show you where you messed up."? No. He beckoned people to draw near to him. He put his hand on their back. He put their arm around his shoulder and he uplifted them. That is what we are to be. The hands of Jesus. You do not need to preach at people. Jesus did not demand that people listen to him; he did not demand respect. So don't go out and preach the Gospel, go out andbe the Gospel. Learn when to repress your inner theologian, when to mourn, when to keep silent and offer a hand to hold.
Christianity Daily quotes Ravi Zacharias, "It is with deep sadness I read of the heartless and cold-blooded killings planned and implemented in Orlando, Florida by a cruel mind. How can any rationalizing justify that in any mind? How tragic for the parents, how ruthless of the killer. As a nation we mourn this loss. All of them are in our prayers at RZIM. We stand with the families in this time of grief. 'Lord please help us to be wise on how we speak of or treat our fellow human beings! We need you more than ever.'"
John Piper founder of Desiring God posted this after the Orlando shooting, "Let it be said again. Through tears. Followers of Jesus lay down their lives to save others, not to slaughter."
I beg of you, if you cannot bring yourself to do anything else, pray. Pray that you would find your heart overflowing with the love of Christ for all people. What are we if we do not love? If the world cannot depend on the Church to be a safe house, who can it depend on? The God Christians believe in has shown the greatestmeasure of love known to humanity by sending His own Son to die on our behalf. On behalf of us all. No other god or human has ever loved like that. If we call ourselves followers of that God, we should at least be able to show a fraction of that love.
