Today in church we were challenged by a missionary from Papua New Guinea. I feel very compelled write out some of the key points so at least we have them as a reference. It was the type of sermon that rocks your world and it certainly did ours.
Papua New Guinea has 869 languages without a Bible. Stories about people wanting to know the truth but no one to tell it. Long boat rides to neighboring islands in dangerous seas to visit various tribes. What does it mean for me to present my body as a living sacrifice...as said in Romans 12:1-2. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will"
We come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing. Life is short. Eternity is forever. There are millions of people in the world who have never heard the gospel. In Papua New Guinnea, the issue is not about lack of money, tools, resources - it's about lack of people to teach, preach, and share the gospel with others.
We were struck by the simplicity of life as talked about by Phil (the missionary) and yet thrown right back into the culture of consumption. He shared with us about his monthly supply runs (his version of going to the store). Juxtapose that against our after church reality. Within 10 minutes after church, we stopped at Target, threw down $45 for some birthday gifts, snacks for the kids, and a sweet new nerf football (that was my impulse purchase for the day). 15 minutes after that we dropped Kyle off for a birthday party and the rest of us went to Pete's Coffee for muffins, hot chocolate, and coffee (killing time between having to pick Kyle back up). All the while, Julie and I were having this surreal experience - reflecting deeply on the sermon. Life had to go on. We are usually mindful of such tensions and we were definitely realing today - we live in a culture and a physical locale that is very difficult to habitually live and think upstream,counter-culturally. We are told to work to buy to want to have to get to spend to consume to deserve to win to acquire to collect to play. I don't know who really "tells" us things thing but that is the pattern. I see it already in my kids and that scares me so much. They want more more more. And they are learning that from us. In subtle, sometimes even direct ways, we are modeling that for them. What we think and what we do are so often different. Arrghhhh. Now I'm getting frustrated typing this. The truth hurts sometimes.
So I blog here today hoping that will be a way to get down in writing what is usually a passing thought surpressed by life's many tasks and responsibilities.
To revisit another day.....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Chad,
We met once at your brother's in SLO. Tim had mentioned you on his blog so I just read your latest entry. Boy can I relate! My sweet husband was grabbed by the challenges of life for orphans in war torn Sri Lanka five years ago. He has led our family in making radical, challenging changes to live more simply financially. He has gone to Sri Lanka to work at the orphanage every year for two weeks. After his third trip, I was tired of being left behind and I was really dealing with resentment that we hadn't had a family vacation because of his annual trips. Not very sacrificial for the gospel eh? Anyway he said he wasn't going again unless we could go to see what and why it was so compelling. Through a series of circumstances (doesn't God just work it that way?) we as a family went with a small group to the orphanage for two weeks in 2004. Seeing life from their eyes and meeting the children and their care givers really undid me. I went through such a cultural upheaval when we came back that I couldn't get over that I spent the first week simply reading, journaling and crying for all the lost and all the waste in our lives. Don't get me wrong, I still struggle with the life we live here and what is deemed valuable, but since our boys went as well we are different as a family. I came away believing that every believer needs to go on at least one short term trip to see God at work in His mighty ways where life is undistracted by commercialism and consumerism.
So there is something to consider as your family grows older. I will say keeping up with missionaries and supporting them long term is a great way to do our part to further the Kingdom while we are in the season of active parenting as you and your wife are. Keep grappling with the tension! It's great and growing stuff!
Hang in there! I struggle to crank out a steady stream of applied Reformed stuff over on The Village Green blog. You are welcome to chime in and would love to hear from you.
http://vicusviridis.blogspot.com/
Not sure where to post this but I wanted to ask if anyone has heard of National Clicks?
Can someone help me find it?
Overheard some co-workers talking about it all week but didn't have time to ask so I thought I would post it here to see if someone could help me out.
Seems to be getting alot of buzz right now.
Thanks
Post a Comment