Sharing the Good News during difficult times.
By Robin A Holstein
Around nine-thirty Monday night, I got a call that my mom needed to go to the hospital. (I get these calls because an ambulance ride not ending in an admission costs her $300.) Mom experienced vomiting and severe abdominal pain for over 24 hours. With her history of intestinal blockage, we high-tailed it off to the Emergency Room.
When the ER nurse came to the bedside to place the nasogastric intubation (NG Tube) Dad and I decided to go outside. Mom has a very narrow nasal canal and NG Tube insertion is very painful and stressful for her. It’s best if we aren’t close adding to her worries. Dad is a smoker. He is 74 years old. He isn’t going to quit. We walked out to the smoking area.
The smoking area is one place to find great conversation. Once you get past the smoke, you may receive great wisdom or great conspiracy spending time in a smoking area. You may learn great secrets about family squabbles, or who the baby-daddy is.
On this trip we encountered a character of interest. He was not a tall man, perhaps a couple inches taller than me. His long, gray hair danced easily with the breeze. His matching beard reached his chest. The chilly night air seemed not to penetrate his thin hospital pajamas.
He spoke boldly of his religion. He touted his Pentecostalism. He passed judgment against an evangelist for wearing too much jewelry. He passed judgment against women having abortions. He passed judgment against homosexuals, going so far as to say they should be stoned. With every judgment he passed, he justified it with the Old Testament Law. He punctuated it with the words of Christ, “I am not come to destroy [the law], but to fulfil [it].” Matthew 5:17
I felt a sharp pain rise within me. I waited a few minutes while he continued. When he drew a breath I commented, “Jesus said ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.’” He changed the subject, asking what church we attend, and began walking back to the ER.
It was harder than I thought to get those few words out. I worried I would get it wrong. I wanted to ask him if he thought he could keep the Law? Or, did he think we should punish those who break the Law?
It is our responsibility to SHARE or SPREAD the Good News of Christ. We cannot, and should not try to force others to accept it. Matthew records Jesus’ instructions to the Twelve as:
And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. –Matt 10:14
All we can do is share it. The people must accept it on their own. We are not the judge, jury, and executioner. Salvation is between the individual and God.
We don’t stone (kill) the homosexual. Nor do we stone the prostitute, the drunkard, nor the couple living together in sin. We share the Word. We help them understand, and to pray. It is then up to the individual.
The Law of Moses put into writing the things God defined as sin. They are also moral laws. Are these things wrong according to God? Yes they are, along with a lot more than homosexuality, murder, and adultery. We should not be afraid to say so. However, it is not up to us to “stone” anyone.