American Christian, if you go south of the Mexican border or most other places in the world, you will be rich. You will be catered to and admired. You may be seen as the camel lumbering up the needle, or you may be seen as Donald Trump without the red tie and hair. You'll spend more in a day, on occasion, than most of these folks spend in a month. You wouldn't let your octodoodle, pikabu, or whatever your designer dog is called, eat from a dish in the same room where the people who wait on you eat, sleep, and play with their kids every day. Because you are perceived in this way, you may feel as if you need to be the decision maker, the wise one, and the final word. Don't do it, because you're none of those things.
Truth be told, we share many of the same things with the poor, with some notable differences.
Rich and poor alike feed hungry animals from our plates. Rich are proud of what they have, poor are too. Rich are scared, poor are melancholy. (Max Lucado). Rich drink coffee in the morning, so do poor. Rich worry about how they look, poor likewise. Rich go to church looking like they're going to the beach, poor wear their best. Rich want their kids to go to the best schools, so do poor. Rich read the ten commandments, then read what Jesus said, then ask forgiveness privately. So do the poor. Rich gossip about those in their social circles, who are different, scandalous, or secretly broke. Poor do too.
I'm rich in Costa Rica. I'm middle class in Illinois. No matter how hard I work with my Costa Rican friends, there will always be a chasm between us. It can only be narrowed by being consistent, honest, hard working, and a truth teller. I'll never stop trying.
As American Christians, we have to realize we have attitudes. We survey another kind of people, another kind of culture, and we quickly judge that they need to be like us. It's the sort of stupid, uninformed, conceited thinking that characterizes those of us who only leave for short trips out of America.
As I've learned, and as you should learn too, if you want to win others to Christ, if God has placed a call on your life, if you're traveling far with bibles and tracts and a child's knowledge of a language, do these things. Be humble, ask those you meet to "help you understand," and leave your American judgment at home.
These are some things I've been thinking about.
In my experience, most Americans, Christian or otherwise,have a hard time suspending that "American judgment". We really do think that our language, culture, values and perspectives are unparalleled in terms of their "rightness". That's why a good portion of the world dislikes us, in my opinion. I would submit that if more of us would start by simply learning about the rest of the world, perhaps the gulf between the United States and other countries would begin to narrow, and who knows? We might learn a lot more than we were expecting!
ReplyDeleteThe first time I went to Cambodia, I thought, 'Wow! I wish I could change this and change that". I wanted to change so many things about them and the way they lived. I wanted them to experience liberty and justice and have all the "stuff" that I have. As I became more and more acquainted with the culture, as I developed deep, personal relationships with the Cambodian people in Cambodia and those who live in a small Cambodian community in Rosharon, Tx, I learned that it was I that needed to change. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (AMP) says this:
ReplyDelete(19) For although I am free in every way from anyone's control, I have made myself a bond servant to everyone, so that I might gain the more for Christ.
(20) To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to men under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though not myself being under the Law, that I might win those under the Law.
(21) To those without (outside) law I became as one without law, not that I am without the law of God and lawless toward Him, but that I am especially keeping within and committed to the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law.
(22) To the weak (wanting in discernment) I have become weak (wanting in discernment) that I might win the weak and overscrupulous. I have in short become all things to all men, that I might by all means at all costs and in any and every way save some by winning them to faith in Jesus Christ.
(23) And I do this for the sake of the good news (the Gospel), in order that I may become a participator in it and share in its blessings along with you.
Liberty and justice and all that I have were given to me. Even the shear ability to go get all that I have was nothing I could get on my own. JESUS is THE ONLY ONE who can give you freedom and justice and anything else you need! Well, that's how America is free isn't it? The founding father's of America leaned on, relied on and trusted in the Father of our Lord Jesus!
So then I'm reminded of what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 9:8-10 (AMP):
(8) And God is able to make all grace, every favor and earthly blessing, come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation.
(9) As it is written, He, the benevolent person, scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever!
(10) And God Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your resources for sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity.