Jesus is Like the Sun (and that’s good news for us gay Christians)
Life Lessons of a Loving Gay Christian
The Bible declares several objects as metaphors of Jesus’ inner nature. For example, Jesus is “living water” and “the bread of life.” I have additionally found Jesus to be like the “sun.” Allow me to explain.
I live just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado — a city often rated as one of the best overall places in America to live. In my town, we average 247 sunny days per year (i.e., sun during 67% of the year; two out of every three days). In contrast, the national average is 205 sunny days. Shoot, we even get as much sun as San Diego, California! And we get at least a whole month and a half more sun each year than the average American city. Thus, I can sometimes take the sun for granted.
That is, until it is not there.
During seven weeks in February through March of 2021, my town received record cold evenings. The wind chill was minus 25 degrees one night, and we experienced major snowstorms (my garage door once had four feet of snow drifted against it). And the dreary, cold, snowy days seemed to keep-on-coming … and coming. Brutally. Relentlessly. Accordingly, I felt my spirit waning with each new snow — a sense of depression, even hopelessness. I became bitter, sour. And I could not seem to shake it.
That is, until the sun returned.
Jesus is like the sun.
As a gay Christian, when I am centered on Jesus, His presence changes me; transforms me into a warm, loving person. I have the patience to listen to other gay Brothers’ issues; I follow up with encouragement. I lose my zeal to convince people that I am the one who is “right” — and they need to become more like me. Instead, I experience joy — an unexplainably lite, even happy, spirit that innately makes me hum an upbeat song or appreciate something that otherwise would go unnoticed.
Yep, Jesus transforms me for the better.
Now, stay with me for a minute. Imagine Jesus as the equivalent of our sun, a power greater than anything we have ever known. A force that provides us light to see, warmth to feel. Have you, too, ever experienced being despondent without the sun? Plants die without enough of the sun. And without any sun, people would immediately freeze to death.
Furthermore, the sun never ceases to be … the sun. It always does what it was built to do perpetually; impossible to be or do anything different. That fantastic source of light and warmth does not think about the essentialness of its provision. Instead, its light and heat are genuinely innate. A person cannot conceptualize the sun without simultaneously noting its power, eternalness, and medicinal effect. The sun, as an actual object, is never divorced from its virtue and purpose. The sun does not provide sustenance to “the good humans” and withholds its healing from “the evil men.” The sun persistently brings us all light to see, warmth to feel.
The sun transforms us for the better.
Do you imagine Jesus as being that powerful? That consistent? That enduring? That essential?
Such is Jesus’ transforming love.
Jesus loves us, gay men — exactly as we are. Jesus is the most welcoming man who ever lived. And if we want to stay aligned with Him, then Jesus stands right alongside us. No matter who we are or what we do.
I hope my fellow gay Brothers who disagree over their identification with the word “gay” and “gay marriage” will love each other in the way in which Jesus loves: treating each other with dignity and validation.
Accordingly, I aim to do the same to gay Christians who are attempting to live a celibate life that honors Jesus. And just as equally, I am trying to provide Jesus’ love to gay Christians who are seeking a romantic relationship and marriage with another gay Christian man — with the intent of likewise honoring Jesus.
Furthermore, I hope that my straight evangelical friends who believe I am disordered will one day see me as merely “one of them, in Christ” and not “lesser than” in any way.
And finally, may all Christians (gay and straight alike) be one: fully dedicated to providing Jesus’ others-first love, dignity, and justice toward every human life.
His death sentencing, torturing, public humiliating, and grueling execution await. Only a few more hours left. For His last meal, Jesus invites His very best friends. He then humbly washes their grimy feet. And Jesus give these men one last instruction [which I paraphrase below].
Jesus:
“Remain united in me, where you will always receive my love.
“And since you indeed are in me, you will obey my new command — my final command: love each other in the way in which I just demonstrated to you. I, your teacher, king, and God, just washed your feet. Love each other in that same selfless way. And that is how you will demonstrate your love back to me.
“There is no greater love than a man dies for his friends. And you are my friends. Therefore, you will soon witness the most excellent form of love ever demonstrated in the history of humanity.
“Now, go love each other in the same, kindness way in which I just showed you — and in which I will thoroughly, sacrificially, demonstrate to you tomorrow.
“And finally, be united as my Followers and friends — in the same unceasing way that Father, Spirit, and I are united as One.”
GAYoda is a publication to uniquely and specifically support gay Christian men. Click here to learn more
Dr. Mike Rosebush is the founder and author of GAYoda. He has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, is a retired Licensed Professional Counselor, with 45+ years of mentoring thousands of gay Christian men. Read a short synopsis of his story here.
Read Dr. Rosebush’s complete set of articles here.
Dr. Rosebush provides friendship support to gay Christian men across the U.S. and can be contacted via Facebook or mikerosebush75@gmail.com.
