What can caring parents do if they learn their child is living a homosexual lifestyle?
Little else rivals the agony many parents feel when they learn that their adult child is living a homosexual lifestyle. Most feel stunned, confused, hurt, and ashamed.
The most important thing parents can do is to continue caring without condoning their child’s choices. One of the worst things they can do is to reject and cut off their relationship with their adult child out of their own embarrassment or shame. The Bible is clear that love “endures all things” and “never fails”(1 Corinthians 13:7-8).
The process of loving an adult child who has chosen to live a homosexual lifestyle raises many troubling situations. For example, many parents are confronted with the difficult situation of whether or not to “accept” their child’s homosexual partner. They fear that they are condoning homosexuality if they do. Responding to this kind of situation partially depends on what is meant by “acceptance.” Parents will compromise their morals if they think that acceptance means approving the homosexual relationship. They should always continue to love their child, but they should never confuse unconditional love with unconditional approval. God unconditionally loves us, but He doesn’t unconditionally approve of everything we do.
Loving parents will not approve of what they know is wrong and detrimental to their son or daughter. Yet, even as they disapprove, caring parents will not write their children off or push them away. Parents can demonstrate unconditional love by treating their son or daughter as well as the homosexual partner in a loving and respectful manner. They can have courteous dialogue or have them for dinner in their home if the civility is reciprocal. But it’s important that the parents clearly communicate that their kindness does not imply approval. Rather, it implies a deep concern that sees past the symptom of homosexuality to the pain and sin that lies underneath, and a deep belief that change is possible.
