Ever had those moments with your own child or babysitting when you wanted to give up cause they were not obeying you? Were their times when they wanted nothing to do with you? Did it seem that when they did something and they were scared to show you? (Even though it was something to be proud of, like a good grade.) Believe it or not I think we all have. Last month I experiences this, but it took on a whole new level and it showed me a great picture on what we do to God on occasion. Before I get to this analogy let me explain a bit about what all transpired last month in Swaziland. (Photo here) Going into Africa from Europe was a smooth transition and looking forward to the month with no distraction of social media or the internet. This was the month where all the guys lived in community and shared deep detailed testimonies and characteristics of a man of God. We call it, manistry! It was an incredible month learning about the characteristics and knowing the men more while doing work like fire breaking and digging a nine foot hole. In the words of Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother it was legen, wait for it…dary; manistry was legendary! A huge characteristic I have learning and wanting more of is humility. A good way to describe is putting the interest of others before yours and caring about them. During the month we had something called buddy time. During that time, I put some of these characteristics into practice. We were at an orphanage called El Shadi where we had spent a few hours a day with our buddy. My buddy was a 3rd grader named Phiwa. One thing he loved to do was play the drums! Phiwa was in a way just like me when I was his age. He has the intelligence to achieve great things in and out of the classroom, he never wanted to do homework just always wanted to play, wanted to know how things worked, and always seemed to be in trouble. I looked at him and saw an image of me about 20 years ago. From that till now what a change in me for sure! During buddy time I would pursue, chase, and do everything I can to help him with homework or just to hangout. I put everything into buddy time but he wanted nothing to do with me. Times he wanted attention from everyone else but me, he would not want even want to be around me at times. There were times I wanted to give up on him. I didn’t, I kept pushing through. Each day I would give him encouragement and pray for him to see in him what I see.
What a picture this is! Think about it this way; God is me in the story and Phiwa are his children. We all do this at times where we want nothing to do with God, but he never stops pursuing or spending time with us. Jesus never gives up on us; he is constantly pursuing us. Oh my soul, what have you been missing out on!
I have been learning a lot this past year and mainly last month what it means to be a man of God and dying to myself daily. It is such a huge battle when the worlds collide (spirit and flesh world). I have been praying all year for a picture like this and for Jesus to take my worlds apart. During that month in Swaziland a song kept coming to mind and listened to it many times. Its an old Jars of Clay song called Worlds Apart. I gotta say what a powerful song! The lyrics that get me is the bridge thing at the end. Example being “watch the world I used to know fall to dust and blow away. I look beyond the empty cross forgetting what my life has cost. To serve the ones that I despise, take the selfish take the weak.” Swaziland for sure was taking my worlds apart! Buddy time with Phiwa was putting it to test. Not gonna lie kids like that drive me crazy. Talk about serving and showing him a loving heart that is Jesus’. There were things in my worldly life I wanted to keep but I was watching it fall away like dust. I am continuing dying to myself and letting go of worldly things and grasping spiritual things like humility and integrity. How can you see and watch your worlds come apart? What things can you release and watch them fall to dust? I want to to challenge everyone by going after things that bring life! Let this story of what I experienced be encouraging as you ask the Lord what things (items or characteristics) can you release and have him replace it with. May your worlds come apart as you look beyond the empty cross and all that remains are the nails.
