{"id":5823,"date":"2021-06-12T15:11:05","date_gmt":"2021-06-12T21:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/jordan-husband\/?p=5823"},"modified":"2025-03-08T17:00:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T23:00:45","slug":"light-on-a-hill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/jordan-husband\/2021\/06\/12\/light-on-a-hill\/","title":{"rendered":"Light on a Hill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sunrise in Las Moras<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A few weeks ago, Agatha \u2013 a Nahuatl believer \u2013 came to a shocking realization: the village meeting at which she had just arrived was all about her! Another woman, Melody, addressed the crowd \u2013 describing how badly she had been treated by Agatha during a community project. In fact, Melody has nursed a personal grudge against Agatha for years, rejecting multiple attempts at reconciliation. Instead, she finds fault with Agatha for minor or non-existent provocations. Yet this time, her accusations were so incessant and public that the village decided a meeting was necessary to resolve the situation. Agatha had not known about this \u2013 were it not for a few \u2018coincidences,\u2019 she would not have even gone. Now, she wondered how best to faithfully represent God in a place where her character and reputation were unjustly attacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As discussion continued, Agatha gathered her courage and spoke up. Most people likely expected her to repudiate Melody\u2019s claims, reject responsibility, and throw accusations back into her opponent\u2019s face! Yet Agatha instead chose to humble herself. She shared her lack of intent to mistreat Melody in any way, but acknowledged that tiredness or past disagreements could easily have impacted their interaction. Rather than push back on Melody individually, Agatha spoke of a shared responsibility for the situation \u2013 saying that together, they clearly should have done better \u2013 and that for her part, she wanted a good relationship with Melody moving forward. In a culture where grudges easily stretch from years to decades, or spread from individuals to families\u2026 this was a shocking response to such public attack!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some unexpected fruit on our banana tree! This one is growing in the shade of our shed, and we didn’t expect it to make it… yet it seems we’ll have fruit this year after all!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Those hearing Agatha\u2019s words were clearly impressed. Several who had spoken against her even nodded, and now made approving comments. The village judge ultimately admonished both women together, requiring they get along better in the future \u2013 or face traditional shame-inducing consequences. Agatha\u2019s response of confident accepting submission stood in clear contrast to her accuser\u2019s muttered \u201cFine.\u201d She had defused the situation; a gentle answer had indeed turned away anger (Proverbs 15:1). Yet Agatha knew that much of the initial opposition she had faced came from another situation, one tied to her public testimony as a believer. Though nervous, she saw an opportunity to clear her name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agatha told the Las Moras community that she was not upset about the discussion involving Melody, because it was important that neighbors respect one another and get along. However, she said, she was<\/em><\/strong> frustrated by weeks of whispered rumors about her \u2013 rumors that she had stolen and desecrated one of the two main village idols! One of the images had in fact been taken from the local \u2018church,\u2019 and shortly thereafter appeared a ways up the road, broken and partially burnt. However, this took place on a day when many outsiders were in town to receive government scholarships for local students. Widespread drunkenness always follows these cash payments, and similar vandalism had taken place in another town a couple years prior. However, since Agatha publicly rejected idol worship and ancestral traditions, she was seen as a reasonable scapegoat for these events. Now, she had won an opportunity to address those rumors head-on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As rainy season approaches, the return of fog creates beautiful sights. Seeing the opposite side of the canyon shaded differently in the morning’s light can be simply stunning.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Making her case before the community in simple fashion, Agatha asked her neighbors to consider what would happen if she had <\/em>taken the images\u2026 would any of them have stopped bringing them food offerings, or doing tasks to try to please them? Of course not! Why, then, would she bother desecrating those statues, which had never done anything to her? In fact, Agatha pointed out that her own beliefs prohibit her from disrespecting or damaging others’ property, and that it would go against God\u2019s teachings for her to do such things. She asked why she would risk community displeasure in such a way for no gain, especially when she would be the first person suspected due to her differing beliefs. In the end, Agatha illustrated that if people had come talk to<\/em> her instead of talking about<\/em> her, they would already know she had not done this thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing our sister in Christ grow in maturity is a great joy for our team\u2026 as is seeing the Lord work through each of the believers in ways which really don\u2019t touch upon us at all. As cultural outsiders, managing a situation like this well would have simply been beyond us! Yet as we prayed, God blessed us with the privilege of watching our sister-in-Christ navigate the obstacles with a blend of cultural propriety and Christ-honoring sensitivity. This is one more milestone on the road to having worked ourselves out of a job, and seeing Jesus fully establish His church here in the Nahuatl community. Keep praying with us that God complete the good work He has begun among them, and bring His children here in Las Moras to maturity in Christ!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Praising God!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n