a hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge. And I think we should add the word “heart” to that definition, so it reads – a hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, hedge, OR HEART.
Philisophical Question: Are gates meant to keep things/people out? Or meant to keep things/people in?
This is a blog I’ve been thinking about writing for a little while now, but it’s finally coming together in my own head.
In my first week in Indonesia, we were privileged enough to share the gospel in a remote village. It was on the one and a half hour journey to this village when this gate philosophy hit me.
In the city, gates are tall and locked. They surround homes built with worldly value and high-class beauty. People go in and out, but communication with the world around them is closed off. Their treasures are locked up inside these iron rods, and so are their struggles.
As you drive and walk into the most remote villages, you see a completely different form of value and beauty. More genuine. Coincidently with more authenticity comes less iron and locks. There are no gates. People invite others in. They share their treasures and their burdens with family, neighbors and strangers. They depend on each other. They share their most prized possessions when they don’t amount to much. They help one another through hard times such as death, drought, and other life issues. Not only that, they smile more than anyone I’ve met inside the city limits.
Sometimes beauty is pain. Not physically, but emotionally. Dismembering the gates of your life – including your heart – in order to let brothers and sisters in Christ share in your treasures and help with your struggles IS NOT EASY! Necessary but not easy.
Fellowship isn’t a wave accompanying a “Hello.” Fellowship is a group of people meeting together to pursue a shared mission. I truly believe you can’t truly and efficiently pursue something as a team without a deep understanding of each other. Plus who wants to go through all of this on your own? How lonely and hard?!
You say, “Yeah but I have to share my treasures I worked so hard for.” And to that, I say, “They were never yours in the first place. God blessed you with them.”
You say, “Yeah but my struggles and burdens aren’t pretty or acceptable. I’m going to be judged.”
And to that, I say, “True brothers and sisters in Christ will help uplift you out of those struggles and sins. Not condemn you. The Bible calls us to pray for one another. Don’t believe those sly lies from the enemy.”
The Answer: Both. Gates keep our treasures in and people out. But gates also keep burdens in and freedom out.
So I encourage you: GET RID OF THE GATES!
