Connecting, Locally and Abroad

Thomas was a fellow student in seminary that became a friend. Thomas was unusual in that he was an artist and lived an interesting lifestyle compared to most folks in our little institution. He wore black jeans and Docker boots. He practiced yoga and subsisted on juice concoctions with Brewer’s yeast. He was a creative mind, a most diligent student, and I enjoyed our talks outside of class immensely. That year my husband and I were juicing and abstaining from meat as well. 

When we left for Thailand I continued to correspond with my friend. In Thailand we began to eat a lot of local food and there was meat in it. I remember in one message reading Thomas’s disappointment with our eating choices. I wrote a long reply. The gist of it was that for the sake of building relationships with Thai people we gave up, among other things, our healthy dietary practices. He wrote a gracious and understanding reply.

Years and years later I saw him again. In the passing of time he had transformed into what could be described as a conservative Baptist preacher. He wore a suit, ate normal food and when I saw him, he was drinking coffee. It was a startling transformation, but I understood it perfectly. It had to do with his work, his role, and beyond all that, the desire to reach out and connect with those people he had been called to minister to. 

Years later we have transformed too, into what I do not know, but the impetus was the same. 

Love.

There are times when God calls us to minister to people with whom we do not connect with naturally. They cannot hear our message because we, the messenger, are too distracting, too different, too bizarre, perhaps even too offensive. If we are able to recognize what is happening, then there are decisions we must make in a myriad of areas of our lives. Perhaps it will be our lifestyle or even the visual presentation of our person. To reach such people effectively we may need to consider cutting off or letting wither pieces of ourselves. Pieces that may feel intrinsic to our identity and person. We may give up the freedom to choose our preferences because we are constrained by greater motivations than self-expression. 

Is it painful? 

Absolutely. 

Worth it?

It must be worth it, it will be worth it.