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A
Modern Day Zacchaeus Tale
By
Debbie Goff
December 5, 1999
My best friend and I, quite innocently, found ourselves in the heart of
Chicago’s Fagtown. I feel compelled to explain why we were there: we were
searching for the Chicago Diner, ranked as the No. 1 vegetarian restaurant in
the Chicago Restaurant Guide.
To the casual observer, the sight of two apostolic women, circling the block,
looking for a parking spot, while trying to shield their eyes from the offensive
displays of homosexuality, must have appeared ludicrous at best. At one point,
there were two men, seriously kissing on the street. Nauseated at the sight, I
felt as if I was going to throw up.
I can’t explain why we decided to follow through with our plans, once we
shockingly discovered where this great restaurant was located. After all, gay
waiters waited on us and gay cooks prepared our food. Perhaps, it was because we
didn’t want to give up in defeat. Perhaps, neither one of us wanted to admit
to the other that we were scared.
The food was delicious, service was great, and
the ambiance was relaxing. All around us were heterosexual couples and
families with children. I started thinking about why I was so frightened. Some
concerns were obvious, if ungrounded (AIDS, for example).
Our reaction was classic Apostolic: we quoted “...and
if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them...” (Mark 16:18),
blessed our food, and trusted we’d be okay. (Don’t
let my overwhelming faith impress you too much, I wouldn’t use the
restroom for fear of infection.)
The Lord woke me up at 6 a.m. the next day (a Saturday!). That still small voice
prodded me into realizing that my piety had been wrong, very wrong.
It has been my experience as a professional Apostolic that there is an unspoken
rule about who we will - and who we won’t - share the gospel with. I call it
selective witnessing. If the candidate falls within our own social/economic
strata, then we might consider including them in our special club that meets
every Wednesday and Sunday. But, if the candidate is so different, and so
imbedded in sin, that, in our pious opinion, they’d never “fit in,” then
we avoid them altogether. Furthermore, if, for example, I walked in Sunday
morning with five gays at my side, I fear the majority of our “soul saving
stations” would ostracize not only my guests, but myself also!
We are instructed in the Word to “Go ye
therefore and teach all nations,..Teaching them to observe all things that I
have commanded you ; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world.” ( Matthew 28:19) There
are no disclaimers or exclusions listed in the Great Commission. Christ said
all.
Had Jesus Christ, in the flesh, visited the Chicago Diner with my friend and I,
He would have shown the homosexual and heterosexual the same level of
love and forgiveness. He would have told them they were welcome in His club
anytime. Then he would have blessed the food and enjoyed the meal.
ninetyandnine.com
Article
© Debbie Goff
--------
Debbie Goff is a recruiter for a national firm, a home school teacher, and coach for the Addison (IL) Quiz Team. A committed
vegetarian, Debbie can frequently be found force feeding carrots to her friends.
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