Strangers in a Strange Land

There are several places in the Bible that remind us that we are strangers on earth and heaven is our home. That always made sense to me on an intellectual level, but actually living as a foreigner has given me a deeper understanding of why it's important to see ourselves as strangers on earth, whether we live in our native countries or not.

As a foreigner, I'm able to observe the culture more objectively, and as a result it's easier to recognize aspects of the culture that go against God's Word. Because of the objective perspective, it seems easier to be in the world, but not of the world because of my lack of emotional ties to the culture and language.

I also don't get caught up in fashion and pop culture here. I follow what's going on so that I can join in conversations or have an idea of what people are talking about, but again, it's not something that consumes me. In the States I like to have clothes that are in fashion and look nice, and here I just wear what I have and don't care nearly as much. I think a big part of that is the fact that I'm going to look "out of place" and "foreign" no matter what I wear, so it's not worth the money or effort. I have what Katie and I like to call "the gringo card" which is like a free pass to not follow the cultural norms and not feel bad about it.

The language barrier is another thing that keeps my perspective objective as a foreigner. Even though I understand almost everything that's said, and I can communicate what I need to, Spanish is not my native language, so it's not my heart language. I have an intellectual understanding of the language, but I don't feel it. I think God has used that "unfeeling" Spanish heart of mine to be more bold in speaking His Word. I'm not as ashamed as I sometimes am in the States because I don't always feel what I'm saying, and I'm not as afraid of being judged since I will be here only a short time.

Because of my objective perspective, lack of many emotional ties, and the knowledge that I have another home (the good old USA), I don't worry about earthquakes or other natural disasters as much as the natives do. If something like that happens, they lose their house and everything they've worked for, whereas I lose a few possessions and, if things get too bad, I get to go home.

Along those same lines, living in a foreign land brings a greater appreciation and longing for home. As much as I love living in Peru right now and want to stay for at least another year, home is always on the back of my mind. I'm constantly comparing this foreign land to my native land, looking forward to my furlough in August, and thinking about what I'll do when I move back there permanently. There's just a very comforting, peaceful feeling that I get when I think of being back home.

So how exactly has all of this made me realize how brilliant God is when he describes us as strangers in a strange land? Well...

1) When you live with the objective perspective of a foreigner, you feel less attached to earthly things. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2

2) It naturally gives us a "foreign card" that excuses us from living like the world lives (the social norms), trapped in sin and meaningless activity. "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11

3) It makes us more bold in preaching God's Word because we have a limited amount of time on earth, and it doesn't matter if people judge us for it or not. "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." 2 Corinthians 5:20a

4) It keeps us from worrying about what will happen to us in this world because we know we have a far superior home waiting for us that will bring us eternal comfort and peace. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

5) And finally, it gives us a longing for our eternal home with our Savior. "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." Philippians 3:20

You can't have Gospel without the Law, and you can't truly appreciate Home until you've lived as a Stranger. "Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:13

A Relationship that Never Fails

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." - John 6:26-27

Jesus was talking to people who were earnestly seeking him for the physical needs they had. They were more concerned about eating and being healed than the fact that they were in the very presence of God!

It's so easy to criticize them, but we are no different. In our prayers, what do most of our requests revolve around? Healing, jobs that provide us with physical needs, the people in our lives? How often do we remember to ask for spiritual gifts or to praise God for blessing "us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3)?

Last week as I was preparing for our DiLanedorf Bible study (DiLiberto, Lane, Endorf), I was convicted of desiring the physical above the spiritual for a long time in one area of my life. The text for our Bible study was Ephesians 5:22-33. Here's an excerpt:

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." - Ephesians 5:22-27

John 6 and Ephesians 5 made me realize I had been asking God to provide an earthly marriage relationship for me as my first priority rather than thanking God for the much more important and vital spiritual relationship I have with Christ, a "mate" who loves me unconditionally, gave up His life for me, cleanses me, makes me "radiant," and never fails.

Forgetting that Jesus' amazing love and faithfulness is more perfect than any spouse can provide, and going to Jesus to ask for that earthly relationship without praising Him for the spiritual one is exactly what the men did when they desired to be with Jesus so that he would give them a few fishes and loaves. They overlooked "the food that endures to eternal life" and asked God for much less than what He offered — ridiculously less.

Reading these passages doesn't make me want to get married less, but it does give me the perspective I need to get my priorities straight. It makes me grateful for the life I have rather than resentful about what I don't have.

Forgive me, Jesus, for putting earthly desires above the spiritual blessings you so faithfully provide despite my ingratitude. Thank you for washing me with "water through the word" in my baptism, that I might be part of your body and live with you forever. Amen.

"If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:13.

OOPS!

I am all too familiar with embarrassing situations and being the center of them. It happens even more frequently now that I'm operating in a culture I'm unfamiliar with and a language that I don't always understand. Let me share with you my most recent cause for "verguenza" (shame).

Katie teaches English at a community center, and the managers of the center, Pablo and Nilda, decided that each month they will have a party to celebrate the adult students' birthdays that month. Even though my birthday was in September, they wanted to include me in the October birthday celebration, which was a very sweet gesture. To prepare for the fiesta, Nilda, Katie, and I went to Canete (about 30 minutes away in bus) to buy food, decorations, and presents. At this point, I didn't realize they were going to be celebrating my birthday or that they'd get me a gift. Nilda saw a music box that opened and had a little diary in it that she loved, so while I wasn't looking she snuck off to buy it for me. At that point, Katie gave me the heads up that they were celebrating my birthday, and that I shouldn't ask questions when Nilda came back with a present.

We finished buying our things, and I went to the center to help decorate. The party started and things were going really well. There were about 20-25 adults there, and it was fun getting to know them and dancing and eating. Then the time came to open the gifts. We bought Spanish-English dictionaries for the students who had October birthdays, and Nilda had the music box wrapped and waiting for me. They had me stand at the front of the room, Katie presented me with the gift, and I opened it. I acted surprised, and I thought I should show everyone that it opened and played music and had a diary inside. So, I started lifting one side of it - the wrong side - and completely ripped the lid off the music box. OOPS! I glanced at Nilda, and she looked slightly horrified and pained that the cute little present was broken. Katie was trying not to laugh at me, and our Peruvian friend Christian was laughing at me. He kept looking at me and saying "mucha fuerza, mucha fuerza" (you're really strong) and cracking up. I had conflicting emotions. I felt horrible that I broke the gift that Nilda loved, I was embarrassed that all the people I just met saw me break a gift, and I also really wanted to laugh about the whole thing (and I did a little bit).

Before we left for the night, I made sure to thank Nilda again and explain that I could fix it (just needs a little glue). Later, we told the story to our friend, Gino, and ever since both Christian and Gino tease me about the incident all time, but I don't mind. In fact, I think it made us all better friends, and it's a never-ending source of laughter.

I think it's another example of how God can turn the mistakes in our lives into good. Thank God for grace, for working through us, and especially for working in spite of us.

God at Work

Throughout the summer we usually see more "men at work" signs than the rest of the year because of all the road construction. Frequently these signs cause us to groan or complain as the traffic slows and plans are changed or delayed. It's agonizing to sit in standstill traffic with our destination out of sight.

I think that's sometimes how we feel when God is at work as well. We have our own schedules or plans laid out with a certain timeline that we think is best, and then God goes to work. Our plans change. Sometimes the work is so slow there is no visible progress. We wonder if we will get to our destination with all the detours along the way. We see no end in sight and wonder if He is even at work.

Then things start happening. New lanes open up; more people are let in. New routes are available; possibilities increase. The ride becomes smoother, the journey easier.

God brings people into our lives to help and guide us. He gives us new ways of thinking or new options to pursue. Because of these changes we have renewed hope. With that hope also comes peace and trust in Him to make our journey easier.

I think it's important to remind ourselves that the "God at Work" sign is permanently posted, even when we don't see it. And rather than grown or complain when we come to slow spots or detours, we should rejoice because we know we've got a master worker designing the course for us and leading us where we need to go.

That's how I feel about Peru. I can see now that God has been working on me for years, preparing me for the awesome opportunity to serve there, and I'm so excited to be at this crossroads in my life! Sometimes the journey here was painful. I had to feel disappointment and discontentment to turn me in this direction. Sometimes I felt stuck or lost.

Other parts of my journey here were fun. I spent an amazing six months in Costa Rica that made me fall in love with the Spanish language and Latin American culture; and I enjoyed five years of teaching, which helped me learn Spanish better and gave me the opportunity to go on several mission trips.

God used each of these experiences (and more) to lead me to a new road. A road that is unknown and exciting. A road that will have detours. A road that will have many ups and downs. A road that will thankfully always have God at Work.