This month we have been in Mozambique working with Life Church.
Their congregation is made up primarily of college students, so our ministry this month has been hanging out on one of the 3 college campuses, talking to students, and telling them about Jesus. Not too bad a gig.
Except, for me, talking to the students was surprisingly difficult. Not because they weren’t receptive but because of the language barrier.
Trying to tell someone of the depth of the Father’s love for them while only speaking a few words of the same language was… interesting.
That’s when I discovered my true mission here.
To love.
Just to love each person I interact with in the way that God loves them.
Love them where they are.
Love them for who they are.
Just love them.
This past week I met Joshua.
Joshua is a philosophy student at the university, and he speaks almost perfect English. When he sat down I was excited to have the opportunity to show him God’s love. Joshua made that surprisingly difficult. As we were talking, I explained to him why I am in Mozambique and that I am a Christian.
He then questioned me about the “human condition.” Meaning the belief that humans in their basic nature are evil, prideful, selfish, power-seeking beings. He asked me what I thought about this concept and if I don’t agree with it how do I explain war, slavery, murder, etc.
NOT a question I was expecting…
I explained to him the creation-fall-redemption story and how this is used to understand the way of this world and the hope found in the next.
When I finished talking he simply looked at me and said, “I was really hoping for more from you than the same ignorant answer I get from Christians here in Mozambique.”
Ignorant.
Inwardly I cringed at the word. Outwardly I apologized that I came across as ignorant, and I assured him that I have done my homework on the sicience and history supporting Christianity.
Then I asked him, “Doesn’t the fact that I, an American, said the same thing as Mozambiqan Christians show the unchanging nature of a perfect transcendant God?” He didn’t like my question, almost refusing to respond.
He changed the subject and we continued talking for another 30 minutes or so until he had to leave for class.
At the end of the conversation Joshua was still an aethiest, he still believed me to be ignorant, and he still had a contempt for Christians…. BUT at the end of that conversation I know that I showed Joshua the love of Christ.
I know that he walked away understanding the love of God more than when he sat down.
That day I know I lived the two greatest comandments. Love your God. Love your neighbor. And for that I am proud and, more importantly, I know that God is proud.