First, I must apologize, the last revelation in this series was buried
and forgotten momentarily while I was in Czech Republic. And in reality, I should actually apologize to my blog community and my supporters for these
last few months. I have really struggled with writing and developing thoughts
lately. But here is my best attempt at God Revelation el numero tres.
The other God Revelations were simple statements about God’s
love that are thrown around all to often, usually resulting in the loss of true
value and meaning in our lives. The simple act of taking the time to meditate
on them, internalize them, and put all my heart and belief into them completely
transformed my life and relationship with God. The next God Revelation, after
meditating upon it, completely transformed my relationship with “missions”. It
changed how I approach God’s people around the world. It is this:
Jesus did not come
into the world to condemn the world.
John 3:16 tells us that because God loved the world so much
that he sent his only Son to die in order to save the world. John 3:17 then
goes on to say that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it, but to
save it. The best example we have of this in the Bible (in my opinion) is the
story of the woman caught in adultery. The story goes like this:
Jesus is in Jerusalem.
It’s early in the morning. He goes to the synagogue. He is teaching people as
usual and the Pharisees arrive and with them they bring a woman caught in
adultery. They throw her in front of Jesus and say, “Our law says we stone such
women. What do you say?” And here Jesus does something kinda weird. He squats
down and starts writing in the dust. Then he says something profound, “Let him
who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” When they
hear this, one by one, they drop their stones, and they leave beginning with
the oldest, (or the ones with most sin bc they have had more time on this earth
to sin) down to the youngest of them until no one is left. Then he is left
standing in front of this woman and he says, “Hey lady, where are your
accusers? Doesn’t anyone condemn you?” she says, “nope, no one” and Jesus, (I
am sure looks deep into her eyes, like the kind of gaze that pierces your soul)
and says, “Neither do I condemn you; go,
and from now on sin no more.”
This woman’s life is changed by an interaction with Jesus
when he chose not to condemn her, but extend mercy and grace instead of a just
punishment by the law. There is NO evidence
in scripture that depicts Jesus as a man who walked around Judea
asking people if their behavior was right or wrong in the eyes of God. He
does not condemn them for their wrong behavior. Instead, he offers himself. He
extends his hand in relationship. With Zacchaeus Jesus didn’t give him much of
a choice, he just invited himself over for dinner and that fellowship with
Jesus was enough for Zacchaeus to change his own behavior.
But as Christians we all to often label others’ behavior as
“right” or “wrong”, “good” or “evil”. We tell the world to “come to Jesus just
as you are” while we simultaneously try to impose our morals on the world as if
they cannot belong until they believe and are changed. But this was
not the way of Jesus.
So how has this changed my perspective of “missions”? God
has shown me that every time I meet someone else; whether a teammate, a
stranger, a family member, a ministry contact, ANYONE, EVERYONE, this is an
opportunity to give Jesus to them. I can give Jesus to them in my reactions, in
attitude, in my actions, in situations when I choose selflessness over
selfishness, patience over frustration, in my words when I choose blessing over
cursing.
As a missionary, I am not concerned with imposing my
morality on others. The Bible itself says this is futile in Colossians 2:20-23:
If with Christ you died to the elemental
spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you
submit to regulations- “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring
to things that all perish as they are used)- according to human precepts and
teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made
religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in
stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Morality does not change human hearts. Relationship with
Jesus changes human hearts.
If you remember my last blog in this series, I talked about
how Benny and I would go and retrieve milk from the neighbors a few nights a
week. Over the course of the month, I became close with this family, Onka and
Arpi. They most definitely became my favorite people in Viile Tecii. I helped
them on their farm a couple mornings as well as visited with them each night we
went to get the milk. One day they were coming down the road in their horse and
wagon. They saw me walking and they stopped just to say hi. They were on their
way to pick apples in an orchard near by. They welcomed me on their wagon. They
scooted apart and made room for me in between them and wrapped their arms
around me as we rode to the orchard. They became like family to me. But that
day, was not unlike any other day that I visited them in that, Arpi brought
with him his liter of whiskey. Rarely, did I ever see him not toting around his whiskey or apple moonshine in his plastic 1
liter bottle. But I just loved him, and one night we were able to piece
together a conversation about Jesus. They were able to connect my love for
them, my desire to help them with Jesus.
Before me, others planted: Arpi and Onka have heard of
Jesus. Each time I chose to give Jesus to Arpi and Onka through my words or my
actions, the Holy Spirit allowed me to water what was planted. Now it is up to
God to make it grow.
Church, stop trying
to rectify the behavior of others and begin concerning yourself with maximizing
every opportunity available to give Jesus to someone or be Jesus to someone.
