On a certain Saturday in March I got up early and together with the ex-chief took my co-worker down river to the nearest community where he would continue the trip to “civilization.” It was a full day. We stopped at a second village and visited some and on our way back we felled a large tree to collect the fruit and then slowly made our way back up river weaving in and out of the rapids. We got home late and it was already getting dark. I quickly took a bath in the river and shortly afterwards my language helper arrived. Somewhere around 9:00, after my language helper had left the ex-chief came to my house and informed me that I would be preaching the very next morning in “church.” He said he was very tired from the trip and hadn’t had the time to prepare (he is also the village Pastor). But what about me, I thought, “Wasn’t I along with you the whole day? Am I not tired as well? And by the way, I didn’t have time to prepare either!” But instead of saying anything I just nodded my head and began asking the Lord for wisdom. I was too tired to reason properly so I decided I would put the Lord’s promise to the test and with a quick pray for wisdom went to bed.
The next morning I got up early and searched the scriptures for an appropriate text to share from. I must interject that we have not begun teaching yet and are still just barely getting started in our language and culture study. What should I teach about? How do you teach without building a foundation first. How can you teach about multiplication when you haven’t taught them how to count yet?
They seem to be very familiar with the person of Christ so I decided to search His parables for a simple story that would avoid delving into deep spiritual truths. As it turns out I stumbled across our Master’s words in Math. 5:43-48 where He teaches how we must love not only our neighbors but our enemies as well! That’s perfect, I thought! It speaks of a foundational truth about the character of God – His holiness and how His ways are so much higher than our ways, it speaks of a foundational truth about man – that we are fallen and separated from God, its short and sweet, and it’s powerful! And I don’t have to go to great lengths to validate this truth since they claim to believe in Christ. Little did I know that it would speak deeply to their present reality.
My purpose in teaching this passage was to get them thinking about how they see themselves and how different Gods ways are, but as I was teaching, examples from there present reality began to come to mind and I began to use them. As it turns out they have had some dangerous quarrels with the nationals over land disputes and have made some serious enemies. I was able to use this as a clear illustration of how hard it is to be Holy like God is holy.
Previously that week the new chief had asked me if all the natural disasters that were happening in Japan were because they didn’t believe in God and he added, “that’s what I heard people in town saying.” Wow, how do you answer a question like that without getting into all kinds of theological issues? I dodged the question by asking him at how those people could know that? Who told them that? How did they know that was true? And I explained to him that scripture is the only source of absolute authority and that as far as I knew it didn’t make it clear that the disasters in Japan were because God was judging that nation. I knew that hadn’t satisfied his question but I left it at that.
Now, as I was teaching it came to me loud and clear. In the very passage I was teaching about it says that we should love our enemies because that is the way God is. He sends rain and sun on both the just and unjust! And there was the chiefs answer! I shifted my direction and immediately addressed him in front of everyone. “Remember that question you asked me about Japan,” I said, “well, here is the answer. If God says that we are to love our enemies because He loves His enemies than how can we say that the disasters in Japan are a judgment on His enemies?” And immediately I could see the lights go on in his eyes and a large smile grow across his face.
Up till now I haven’t had much success at getting them to answer questions but on this day they asked the questions! One lady asked, “What about when something bad happens here in the village? Our relatives all say that it is God punishing that person for sining.” “Well,” I said, “What have we learned about how God treats His enemies? And what’s more than that, you claim to be God’s children right? Now if God is loving towards His enemies how much more with His children! You’re a parent right? How do you treat your children? When you know there is danger on a certain trail don’t you warn you children not to go there? What happens if they go there and get hurt after you warned them not to go there? Can I then say that your child was hurt because you punished them?” “No…,” she said, and I then I saw the light go on for her as well. “You see,” I said, “that is the way it is with God. He gave us this entire big book and told us all we need to know and warned us about all the dangerous trails of life. Now when we get hurt because we didn’t heed His words can we say that he was punishing us?” “No!” she said.
So there you have it…a practical example of how we depend on the the Holy Spirit to fill us with wisdom even in the most awkward of situations. And as master builders we continue to prepare the ground to lay a strong foundation.
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