Have had the amazing opportunity to be in America (still am), and its been one of the most enlightening and also the hardest seasons of my life. Hard to be so far from everything I have ever known, far from family, friends, a loving and supportive community. Its different being in a foreign culture with foreign people and not knowing what are the boundaries. How do I navigate my way around people who don't find my jokes that funny, or my arguments that compelling or my views that appealing. What do you do when you are meant to be salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:13 - 16), but your saltiness or light isn't translating to flavour or clarity? What then happens, how do you keep on? I don't think I have any answers seeing I am in that situation now. But what I believe I go today and really in the past bit of insight.
Was reading the @DailyKeller twitter feed and something struck me from a couple of days ago and it read: "Tolerance isn't about not having beliefs. It's about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you." And it hit me, me being salt and light to the area I was wasn't about getting round with a bunch of people and them nodding their heads. It was an alternative, what would be my reaction be when noone nodded their heads and I was received with contempt? If all I speak is true then it shouldn't matter whether people agree with me or not. What should matter is if I treat them with the same love I say Jesus has, now that's the real test. Being at church today and reading through Acts 21 and 22 of how Paul went through all the rituals to purify himself for the Jews and still they wanted to kill him even though they knew him and he was one of them.
Makes you think back hey, about the whole Great Commission in Acts 28. How hard it is to make disciples and to get people saved. But in the end who really does the saving? Who is the saving really about? When we realise that its all about Jesus and as he said, "On this rock, I will build my church...." (Matthew 16:18). So ask yourself, what would happen if I went out day in and out and nobody got saved, nobody agreed with the good news you were preaching. Would your heart still be drawn to love them regardless or would contempt creep in?
Just thought to leave you all with one of my favourite scriptures, keeps my heart in check. As Tim Keller would say " Are you studying the scriptures or are you allowing the scriptures study you:
Search me,
and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.
love, peace and happiness
Tau
2 comments:
I pray that you will achieve all that God wants you to do and you find favor in all you do and when they look at you they will see His presence wrapped around you
*All the Best*
that is absolutely profound! I think the experience you are having is so key to where God will take you in the future. Get equity from this time by this I mean store up life lessons and stuff for the Kingdom. Keep Pressing into the King!
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