The virus is crafty…it waits for its victims and has several ways to invade. Yet, it doesn’t discriminate against a specific person because of his or her skin color, gender, age or religious affiliation. It does, however, make its home with those who are naive, foolish or ignorant. In other instances, it catches those who were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
For the millions of people worldwide living with HIV and dying of AIDS, and for those trying to prevent further devastation and death, the question remains how to end the epidemic, specifically in Africa. First Lady Laura Bush recently had an answer for those HIV-positive women and children in Zambia. While on a four-country tour of Africa, Christianity Today reported Mrs. Bush explaining the importance of allowing faith-based organizations to continue their work in African countries. Churches and other faith-based groups, many that encourage an abstinence-only education, are fighting HIV and other diseases and lives are being saved.
Interestingly enough, Mrs. Bush was accompanied by Zambian First Lady Maureen Mwanawsa who was quoted in the story as saying, “The message of abstinence is very important in preventing new infections” and “It brings dignity to young people.”
Abstinence coupled with dignity – a powerful combination that can stand against HIV, or any other STD. Dignity, defined as the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect, is attainable among our youth today. Teenagers and even young adults have the power to prevent the spread of HIV. Children and women in Africa are learning that they too have the power to stop the spread of HIV. And who doesn’t want to be esteemed as worthy? Who doesn’t want to be respected? Who doesn’t want to be free of a violent virus determined to kill at all costs?
But the virus doesn’t like abstinence because it knows its time would be cut short if people practiced self-control. The virus knows that other “safer” methods are actually safer in keeping its strains alive. The virus knows that its job is not complete until it ravishes and destroys groups of people – mostly those who are naive, foolish, ignorant or innocent victims.
Choose to do something radical – choose to live a life of dignity. Choose to use your body as an instrument of righteousness, as Paul speaks of in Romans 6:12-14, rather than an instrument of unrighteousness. Choose to be one of the ones that puts an end to a cunning culprit on a mission to kill and destroy. Choose to live a pure life devoted to Christ, who died to set you free.
He will die for lack of instruction and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray. Proverbs 5:23
