As I grow older it seems that my eyes are not as good as they used to be. I can't run in the predawn darkness like I did ten years ago because I just can't see the potholes anymore. (Not to mention that I am completely out of shape.) The dark I referred to is physical darkness. The absence of light.
Africa just seems to steal the light. Ask any newcomer to this continent about driving at night and they will insist that car headlights here are not as powerful as they are elsewhere. Unless of course they are aimed directly in your eyes. Then they are too bright!
So my question now is, "Is it getting darker or is it just not as light?" This is a spiritual question not a physical one. Here is what I mean.
Jesus told us "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Mt.5:14-16
So many of us come here from the western world and forget that we are to bring light. We are to chase the darkness away not make it darker. How do we "lights of the world" fail to do this? We live like the world does.
When we come to a different culture we have to respect that culture's values except where those values conflict with the Bible. An example from here is drinking alcohol. Born again Christians are not allowed to drink. It just is not accepted here. It may be fine in Germany, England, USA or elsewhere but it is not here. When we do this, people see good works as bad works and the light turns to darkness.
Our style of dress can be the thing that steals our light. If a girl's clothing shows an overabundance of skin on the legs or chest even though it might be considered modest, stateside, no one will listen to her no matter how well she shares the gospel or glorifies God in other areas of her life.
Obscene language is just as obscene here as there so leave it there or the darkness starts to encroach.
But just as the car headlights in you eyes make it impossible to see, so our light can do the same to those in the dark. Public displays of affection are not approved here. The President said last week that if he kissed his wife in public he would never win an election.
But we western Christians come and kiss in public and put hands where they don't belong and wonder why no one takes us seriously when we teach on sexual immorality. Our "enlightened" light then blinds those around us.
Homosexuality is a case in point. The western governments are trying to force Africa to accept and ultimately embrace homosexuality. This is not just culturally wrong it is biblically wrong. The light goes completely out when we make the biblical error as well as the cultural error. Our western view of tolerance has made too many lights for Christ become dim and the darkness will fast overtake the light if we don't live in the light.
Then Jesus said to them,"A little while longer the light is with you.Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going, While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."
Is it getting darker or is it just not as light?
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
What Defines Us?
I was talking with a dear brother in Christ this week and our conversation ended up with a question. Where do we find our identity? What makes me, me? Unique to myself but still connected to the rest of mankind.
One person might answer "I find myself in what I feel." The problem with this thought is that emotions and feelings are tricky things that can change like the weather. If I only find myself whenever I "feel" alive then my life would only be a series of emotional highs and lows and at the very bottom I may wish to give it all up. There is no guarantee that I'll ever have another emotional high so I might want to quit while I am ahead. Go out on top! But then life would be something of a high stakes craps game. But like the dice game, either a pair of ones, the lowest, or a pair of sixes, the highest, still put you out of the game. That forces us to live to the most average median number or emotional state. Hardly how we want to be defined, Mr. Average.
Another man might say that what defines me is my work. Western men in general define themselves this way. I'm Bob-accountant. Phil-mechanic. Larry-cook. If our passion is our work, it starts well but when you cannot do what defines you anymore then why go on living. This is why so many men soon die after their retirement. They are totally lost without the definition of worth that work gives them.
Still others find their definition in relationships. Marriage can bring definition. Bev and I once took a trip to Kenya and since she booked everything the name was under Beverly. So everyone we met called me Mr. Beaverly. That name stuck with me for five years! I don't mind being connected with my wife and I hope she feels the same. But will we only be described as, "He's the guy that has the great wife." "She's the one who has that quiet husband."
Some find their definition in their physical ability, what I can do. I am a runner, a tennis player, a cripple, a Parkinson's patient or whatever else ails us. Too often we end up here. Defining our existence by the strength and abilities of our bodies. When we do this, degenerative diseases or cancer or whatever else we face becomes our label. It is constant struggle for me not to define myself by my disease. I am more than that.
Some insist it is their reputation that defines them. How others see them. Sin or righteousness that will define us. "He is such an evil man." Or "Such a good man." This too has its drawbacks as the good man or evil man will often be labeled according to his latest act. Good or evil. By what standard do we measure it. Who of us is objective enough to apply the standard of good or evil, in a fair and timely manner?
Is it our sin that defines us? Is it our drunkenness, our uncontrolled tongue. Is it our sexual immorality, whether heterosexual or homosexual, that says who we are? We must be more than the things that hold us in bondage.
Of all the ways we can find ourselves the only true way is in Jesus Christ. Our relationship with God through His son Jesus is the only accurate definition we will ever have of ourselves. That is because of God's unchanging nature. The best definition we can have is "child of God". And we define ourselves not with pride
but true humility.
When we allow our lives to be defined by Jesus we now find our true worth. Ephesians 1:5 says we are adopted sons of Jesus, or through Jesus adopted as sons of God the Father. Here is where I am really defined. And this should be what is said about all of us. we are holy and blameless; redeemed by His blood; our sins forgiven, having wisdom and understanding, together with God under heaven.
Now what defines me will not change. The immutable God has put His definition on me by means of His true son, Jesus. I am predestined to bring God glory. That is His will for my life and all men's lives. Living to know our Creator, our Savior, our God. Living to show Him holy, full of grace and love. Patient and abounding in love.
What defines me? Not what I feel, not what I do, not who I married. My true definition is I am me because God loves me. What makes me, me is Jesus Christ in me. Any other answer misses God's purpose for why we were created. Find yourself today!
One person might answer "I find myself in what I feel." The problem with this thought is that emotions and feelings are tricky things that can change like the weather. If I only find myself whenever I "feel" alive then my life would only be a series of emotional highs and lows and at the very bottom I may wish to give it all up. There is no guarantee that I'll ever have another emotional high so I might want to quit while I am ahead. Go out on top! But then life would be something of a high stakes craps game. But like the dice game, either a pair of ones, the lowest, or a pair of sixes, the highest, still put you out of the game. That forces us to live to the most average median number or emotional state. Hardly how we want to be defined, Mr. Average.
Another man might say that what defines me is my work. Western men in general define themselves this way. I'm Bob-accountant. Phil-mechanic. Larry-cook. If our passion is our work, it starts well but when you cannot do what defines you anymore then why go on living. This is why so many men soon die after their retirement. They are totally lost without the definition of worth that work gives them.
Still others find their definition in relationships. Marriage can bring definition. Bev and I once took a trip to Kenya and since she booked everything the name was under Beverly. So everyone we met called me Mr. Beaverly. That name stuck with me for five years! I don't mind being connected with my wife and I hope she feels the same. But will we only be described as, "He's the guy that has the great wife." "She's the one who has that quiet husband."
Some find their definition in their physical ability, what I can do. I am a runner, a tennis player, a cripple, a Parkinson's patient or whatever else ails us. Too often we end up here. Defining our existence by the strength and abilities of our bodies. When we do this, degenerative diseases or cancer or whatever else we face becomes our label. It is constant struggle for me not to define myself by my disease. I am more than that.
Some insist it is their reputation that defines them. How others see them. Sin or righteousness that will define us. "He is such an evil man." Or "Such a good man." This too has its drawbacks as the good man or evil man will often be labeled according to his latest act. Good or evil. By what standard do we measure it. Who of us is objective enough to apply the standard of good or evil, in a fair and timely manner?
Is it our sin that defines us? Is it our drunkenness, our uncontrolled tongue. Is it our sexual immorality, whether heterosexual or homosexual, that says who we are? We must be more than the things that hold us in bondage.
Of all the ways we can find ourselves the only true way is in Jesus Christ. Our relationship with God through His son Jesus is the only accurate definition we will ever have of ourselves. That is because of God's unchanging nature. The best definition we can have is "child of God". And we define ourselves not with pride
but true humility.
When we allow our lives to be defined by Jesus we now find our true worth. Ephesians 1:5 says we are adopted sons of Jesus, or through Jesus adopted as sons of God the Father. Here is where I am really defined. And this should be what is said about all of us. we are holy and blameless; redeemed by His blood; our sins forgiven, having wisdom and understanding, together with God under heaven.
Now what defines me will not change. The immutable God has put His definition on me by means of His true son, Jesus. I am predestined to bring God glory. That is His will for my life and all men's lives. Living to know our Creator, our Savior, our God. Living to show Him holy, full of grace and love. Patient and abounding in love.
What defines me? Not what I feel, not what I do, not who I married. My true definition is I am me because God loves me. What makes me, me is Jesus Christ in me. Any other answer misses God's purpose for why we were created. Find yourself today!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
How Long Does It Take To Do Nothing?
Bev was gone for two days with all the women staff teaching a women's seminar at one of the village churches. So being a caring husband with nothing to do I thought I would clean the house for her. But where to start? I decided to start with my desk. It is visible from every part of the house. That is, when it is visible. As of late it has been MIA (missing in action) or MUP (missing under paperwork).
Now finding my desk was easy, I just backtracked the computer wires from the wall socket to the large pile of paper in the corner of the room. Sure enough there was a desk under the mound of paper. Realizing I needed a bigger trash can I left the desk and went to the back yard. Turning off the light reminded me that it needed a new bulb. So I put the cleaning project on hold for 15 minutes. Setting the step stool in place I removed the globe and bulb but the socket itself came out in pieces. This is to be expected since Uganda is the dumping ground for every cheap electrical, plumbing or automotive part in the world. I wisely keep spares on the "shelf".
Other homes have the junk drawer, we have the "shelf". It is like the junk drawer but much larger and more disorganized. 35 minutes after my search began I found the spare socket. Of course the shelf was cleaner by the time I found what I was looking for. Now back to the light. Elasped time since the start: 55 minutes.
Removing the two screws that hold the lamp fixture in place I discovered that the the fixture can't be removed since the mason had plastered it in place. So back to the shelf to get more tools then find a real ladder. I spent the next hour chipping and scraping away plaster so the fixture could come out. Then comes the discovery that even though the old and new parts were from the same company and bought at the same time from the same little guy at the market they are completely different. So now begins the modification process to make the new part fit. This process takes another hour. This isn't going as easily as expected. 2:45 into the desk cleaning/light bulb changing project, I have not finished one task yet.
Finally with the light fixture repaired and in place I go back to the shelf to get a caulking gun to seal up the edge of the fixture. This must be done to keep out the geckos. Unfortunately the caulking gun explodes as I am testing it in the kitchen. Now with caulk everywhere I have to clean the kitchen but since my hands are covered with caulk I decide to wait because it would not be good for me to ruin Bev's kitchen towels with caulk while cleaning my desk. That of course is not quite the way it happened but that is how it would sound.
So going back to the light, I finally get it all sealed up and working. Elapsed time 4:30. Then I clean the kitchen. If I am going to clean the kitchen I might as well do it right. So it is no surprise that ninety minutes later George finds me cleaning tomato sauce spots off the faces of friends whose pictures are hung on the refrigerator a little too close to the stove. I guess I will have to get new pictures since some of the faces now look like they are suffering from leprosy. Perhaps new pictures will replace the visual in my head of dear ones without noses and chins.
After explaining to George how my morning and early afternoon went I get back to my desk and finish cleaning it. It is now 3:30pm. Eight hours and fifteen minutes after starting. The desk is clean, the kitchen is clean, the light in back of the house works.
If I could only find where I put the trash can it would be a perfect day of doing nothing.
Now finding my desk was easy, I just backtracked the computer wires from the wall socket to the large pile of paper in the corner of the room. Sure enough there was a desk under the mound of paper. Realizing I needed a bigger trash can I left the desk and went to the back yard. Turning off the light reminded me that it needed a new bulb. So I put the cleaning project on hold for 15 minutes. Setting the step stool in place I removed the globe and bulb but the socket itself came out in pieces. This is to be expected since Uganda is the dumping ground for every cheap electrical, plumbing or automotive part in the world. I wisely keep spares on the "shelf".
Other homes have the junk drawer, we have the "shelf". It is like the junk drawer but much larger and more disorganized. 35 minutes after my search began I found the spare socket. Of course the shelf was cleaner by the time I found what I was looking for. Now back to the light. Elasped time since the start: 55 minutes.
Removing the two screws that hold the lamp fixture in place I discovered that the the fixture can't be removed since the mason had plastered it in place. So back to the shelf to get more tools then find a real ladder. I spent the next hour chipping and scraping away plaster so the fixture could come out. Then comes the discovery that even though the old and new parts were from the same company and bought at the same time from the same little guy at the market they are completely different. So now begins the modification process to make the new part fit. This process takes another hour. This isn't going as easily as expected. 2:45 into the desk cleaning/light bulb changing project, I have not finished one task yet.
Finally with the light fixture repaired and in place I go back to the shelf to get a caulking gun to seal up the edge of the fixture. This must be done to keep out the geckos. Unfortunately the caulking gun explodes as I am testing it in the kitchen. Now with caulk everywhere I have to clean the kitchen but since my hands are covered with caulk I decide to wait because it would not be good for me to ruin Bev's kitchen towels with caulk while cleaning my desk. That of course is not quite the way it happened but that is how it would sound.
So going back to the light, I finally get it all sealed up and working. Elapsed time 4:30. Then I clean the kitchen. If I am going to clean the kitchen I might as well do it right. So it is no surprise that ninety minutes later George finds me cleaning tomato sauce spots off the faces of friends whose pictures are hung on the refrigerator a little too close to the stove. I guess I will have to get new pictures since some of the faces now look like they are suffering from leprosy. Perhaps new pictures will replace the visual in my head of dear ones without noses and chins.
After explaining to George how my morning and early afternoon went I get back to my desk and finish cleaning it. It is now 3:30pm. Eight hours and fifteen minutes after starting. The desk is clean, the kitchen is clean, the light in back of the house works.
If I could only find where I put the trash can it would be a perfect day of doing nothing.
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