In preparation to serve in Venezuela, The Mission Society sent
us to Mission Training International (MTI) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. One of the best things they gave us at MTI was
a long (and entertaining!) session on what to expect as far as phases of
inculturalization—they told us about the roller-coaster of feelings that would
hit us over the first year of service.
At first, all would be new and novel and joyful—“Wow! Tastes great! What
fun!” Then, we’d start comparing and criticizing
everything—“Ugh…too sweet. I just want a hamburger! Not the way we do back
home!” Finally, we’d find a balance in
which we recognized that our host country and the US were simply different with
their own strengths and weaknesses…and we could live in both. Knowing what to expect helped us to move
forward with confidence…and saved us from packing our bags in phase two and
heading back to the US!
Just as MTI prepared us by making expectations clear, God
has done the same—
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NRSV)
Do justice. Do what’s
right, be about ‘right-ness’…or righteousness.
Often, we easily latch onto to big issues like education, immigration or
human-relations issues. While we want to
see justice there, our focus there often distracts us from doing right by our
own families—spouse, children, parents, siblings. We may march on Washington…and neglect to
fulfill our promises to our children. God
expects us to do what’s right.
Love kindness. Our
world could sure use a little more of this!
What a different world if we were kind in our interactions. Yes, easy enough in the check-out line at
Kroger or H.E.B. to smile at the cashier and wish him or her a nice day. But, what about kindness on the
highways…letting someone in the long line of traffic? What about kindness at work…letting a
co-worker take a more ‘interesting’ project this time around? And, again, what
about kindness to those closest to us? A kind word or act may just change the
course of the day for someone….
Walk humbly with your God.
Some folks just park—they accept Christ and they think the journey’s
done. Others are on the fast track to spiritual
maturity or of church growth. God calls
us to join Him on a walk…a slow journey.
A walk goes places…but allows for conversation, observation…relationship.
Of course, the first two can’t happen unless the last one is
in place. Try as we might, we can’t do
right and be kind unless we’re walking with God. But, once we walk with Him, we find that we
want to do what’s right, and we want to be kind…because that is what He wants.
