When I shared the news of going on the World Race, my dear friends Erica and Gina offered and spent their talents towards designing a T-shirt as a means to raise support for this mission trip. Gina went to the drawing board and came up with the design of an upside down tree, illustrating the truth that as followers of Jesus, our roots are in heaven. Erica then put her graphic design skills to work and completed this T-shirt with a caption emblazoned – WE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD .
We are not of this world – a truth I believe we all know in the humanity we share, perhaps made even more obvious in the fallen humanity we share. The experience of pain, suffering, injustice, death – all so incredibly unbearable perhaps because they don't belong here and never will. They will always be foreign. Somehow, as familiar we should be with each experience of disease, affliction of grief, cry of despair, death of a beloved, it never gets easier. In fact, if we could take a person's life and familiarize that life with these experiences so that in every nerve there would be pain, in every second there would be suffering, in every situation injustice, in every relationship death, I still don't think that person would ever reach a point in his soul where he feels that this is how things ought to be. Those things will forever be foreign to us because as our history is written – WE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD. We were created in the image of the Healer who removes pain, the Shepherd who alleviates suffering, the Judge who rules with justice, and the Everlasting one, who though experienced death, resurrected to a life that knows no end. And He calls us children. Because somehow, no matter how much the dirt of this fallen world has covered us, He still recognizes that we are His. So how can we find rest in this world of pain, suffering, injustice, and death? To those still trying to find it, the only answer is that we were never meant to.
Therefore, as children of our Father, may we all grow in the right direction – one that seems downwards in this world, but by the wisdom of the Spirit, we know to be truly upwards. May we all be upside down trees. Growing our roots may seem tough at many times because of the weight of the trunk, leaves, and branches in this world. Yet our Savior claims that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light so we are given the strength to never stop. And as we move closer, may our dead bodies and weary souls one day find rest in the place meant to be called home from since the beginning. One day, our tree will be cut off. Hopefully our roots are strong and extensive enough that by themselves, they will carry the beauty of a life well lived and the promise of new life. In that time, would we finally by the grace of God, experience the fulfillment of this vision of the apostle John from Revelation 22:1-5:
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal,flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."
Reflection aside, I'm selling these T-shirts for $20 each to raise money for this mission trip. If you are interested, contact me with the size you would like through e-mail ([email protected]) or Facebook. I will definitely get them to you personally by the time I leave.
