When I was in college, I had a friend who was flamboyantly gay. He was an exquisite cross-dresser and outspoken gay activist who made other gays around him feel comfortable and strong. Because of his outspokenness, however, he was often the target of hateful jokes and pranks, but they never seemed to bother him. If anything, it made him more flamboyant.

One night after a hard track practice, I went down to the dining hall for dinner, as I usually did, and I encountered an unusually sized mob taunting my gay friend. I was friends with most of the people in the mob, and we often ate dinner together. So, after I got my food I brought my tray over to their table to sit down and eat with them, but there was uneasiness in my spirit. As hungry as I was, every time I picked up my fork, I would put it back down. I couldn't eat. It was the taunting that was bothering me. I finally got sick of it. I picked up my tray and walked over to the table where my gay friend was sitting by himself. The whole place fell silent, and expressions of shock were on everyone's faces, including my gay friend. The mob began murmuring, "She's a Christian. Yeah, she leads the Christian student-athlete group. What is she doing?" I felt everyone's eyes on me. I put my tray down at my gay friend's table and sat down. I then looked up at him and smiled. When he smiled back at me, tears began rolling down his face, and he said in a choked up voice, "thank you." The mob calmed down, and we ate in peace.

A common quote believed to have been said by St. Francis of Assisi is, "Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words." The best way to present the gospel and the love of Jesus is with our actions. It's easy to tell someone Jesus loves them, but what do our actions show? What kind of Jesus is your life presenting? We are Christ's ambassadors; Representatives of His kingdom. What we do reflects on Him, and our lives may be the only Bible people ever read. Jesus said in John 13:34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Many Christians seem to be struggling with this command, especially if people have different values and beliefs. They are quick to rebuke and not love, thus joining society's bandwagon. Jesus said in Luke 6:32, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them." One way that Christians can truly be the light of this world is by loving those who are typically bullied or rejected without compromising their beliefs. Jesus demonstrated this in John 8:3-11. He stood up for a woman who was about to be stoned by a crowd for adultery. After the crowd left, Jesus then told her to go and sin no more. This is an example of loving without compromise.

Let's follow Christ's example and be bold to love those around us, especially those who are typically bullied and rejected by others. After all, while you were a sinner, Christ demonstrated His love by dying for you (Romans 5:8).

DJ Lady Grace <><

About DJ Lady Grace

DJ Lady Grace was born and raised in the Boston area in a very conservative Christian home listening to the traditional Gospel sounds of Shirley Caesar and the Winans. Although she heard a few Christian rap songs while growing up, her first exposure to the real ministry side of it was in 1999 when The Cross Movement came to Cambridge, MA to minister. It was that night that God gave her the call and put a burning desire in her heart to promote uncompromising ministry-minded artists/ministries that can reach the youth & young adults in the hip-hop culture. Her work as a mobile deejay and radio personality is out of her obedience to fulfill that God-given call and responsibility.

www.djladygrace.com