Unconditional Love & Spiritual Responsibility

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, an opportunity to promote HIV prevention, testing, and treatment among African Americans in the United States.

I woke up this morning with the plight of African Americans on my mind and concern in my heart regarding the fact that we are disproportionately affected by HIV/Aids. The CDC  has estimated that African Americans accounted for (44%) of all new infections in 2010, while we make up only 14% of the population. After visiting the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/features/blackhivaidsawareness/  
I began to research what the Churches stance is on the HIV/Aids epidemic. So of course that meant looking at many different stances from very liberal to very conservative. Some Churches took the stance that HIV/Aids is a curse from God as punishment, others said it was judgment, and still some said it was just happenstance because of the world we live in.  Still other Churches talked about  only loving the people effected, and some Churches avoided the topic all together. After going through all of these websites I felt discouraged and prayed asking God for clarity. This mornings devotion is a result of my prayer. Let's look :

Luke 17

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

 

In Luke's Gospel chapter 17 Jesus actions teach us a lot about love, spiritual responsibility, and how we should deal with all people those who are healthy as well as those who have diseases.  We don't know how these men got this dreaded disease, we don't know how long each one of them has been ill. We don't even know if they are truly people of faith, but we do know they saw Jesus during their time of need and called out for help.  Many people today are dealing with the dreaded disease of HIV/Aids and they are calling out for help! Not just medical attention but for friendship, respect, companionship and love. 

Jesus in the text was able to answer the plea for help, not so that these men would follow him or worship God. However it was because of Christ unconditional love and spiritual responsibility to help whenever and however he could. Only one of the ten turned back once they saw they were healed but nonetheless all ten were still made well. Our job as the Church is not to judge, or criticize instead we are to love unconditionally and we have a spiritual responsibility to God and one another to help out whenever and however we can. 

 

 People can come in contact with the HIV/Aids virus in many different ways, and none of them should matter to us. We should love anyone we come in contact with the same, and however we can help them we must! So if you are a doctor help in that way, if you are a teacher teach about this disease, if you are on facebook put the a loving word out... etc. Finally all of us must make as many people aware about being tested and the medical progress in treating HIV/Aids for the African American communities survival is indeed at stake. 

Dear God help us to be more like Christ, compassionate and loving. Enable us to walk with and strengthen our sisters and brothers who are effected by HIV/Aids. Provide us with the words to start the conversations about testing and treatment so that further transmission will be prevented. Show us your Church how to lead the charge and not deny the needs of our communities. God we know you are a healer, so we humbly ask that you send your Holy Spirit to rid the world of this dreadful disease. All of this we ask in Jesus name. Amen!

Be Well, Be Blessed, Be Healthy

Love P.J.