Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these Flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’”
-Luke 16:19-31
Today I went to Saint Kizito High School with the eldest boy in our program, Benjamin. In this past month Ben has been my best friend. He has been someone I go to for advice, and He is definitely someone I admire, especially after you hear all of the things he has been through and the work he has done, and the attitude he has had throughout his entire life.
Benjamin is the spiritual leader of the boys here at the mission. Every morning he reads the gospel at the school on the Mission and he also leads that prayer I raved about every night. He is an awesome guy.
So the other day he asked me if I would come help him talk about the gospel during the devotional at his school. He told me it would just be like how I give a quick little talk each night at prayer and it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, so I agreed and didn’t put much thought into it.
Well when we got to the school I realized, yet again, this is Africa and things are a little different…devotional is done in front of the entire student body (1500 people). Now any of you who know me, know that I am not a shy person, but the thought of speaking to a mass of Liberians had me a little nervous for a couple reasons…the main being I am not Liberian (rhetorical statement, yes I know), and I didn’t want to come across in any offensive means, especially being this American that none of them knew and I was about to talk about my religion with them…I didn’t want to seem like I thought I was superior or thought I was right or any of that nonsense…you get the picture…
Anywho… as I’m freaking out inside my head trying to figure out what on earth to say (praying that God’s words would come and not my own, haha and mainly that I would not screw up His good name) that would be appropriate for situation…I was simultaneously getting a tour of the campus and meeting a few of the faculty.
*Now keep in mind that passage from Luke that I posted at the beginning of the blog (yea – way up there at the top) was the gospel for the day – what would be read in front of the student body before Ben and I talked.*
So as I was being introduced to these faculty members… who were very gracious and sincere and smiled when they looked at me and shook my hand (but I also kinda got that feeling they were thinking I was just some spoiled American who didn’t understand their lives or hardships – and rightfully so)…I got the opportunity to talk with the Vice Principal –Steve – for the longest period of time. He cordially thanked me for coming to the school and seeing how everything ran. We talked about education, and how important it was for children, who yearn to learn (yea that rhymed) be fed with the “nourishment” they needed...and how the children in Africa are in dire need of nourishment…physically and educationally. We talked about faith, and the Mission, and he asked Ben and I more about it…then He hit me with one of the hardest questions I have ever had to face…
“I just have one real question...” he started, “Why is it that you Americans come over here set up missions, try to evangelize us to your faiths, preach to us about Jesus, but then forget to practice what you’re preaching?”
…Well…after I picked my jaw from up off the floor… I had figured out what I was going to say to the student body, and I was going to say it to Mr. Steve as well. I was going to give a confession. I was going to apologize and ask for forgiveness.
It just seemed kind of ironic to me, and just made me think that God was cracking up at the position I was in right now, especially with what the gospel was about for the day… “Yea, what’s been going on down there rich man?” I could hear God whispering, “You try to evangelize the world to my gospel of Love, service, and humility while you’re still leaving Lazarus (the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed) hangin’ out there to dry.”
So the confession thing is what I did. I gave a sincere apology to Mr. Steve, and then to 1500 Liberian students… I told them that I was sorry for mine, and my fellow brothers in Christ’s hypocrisy against what we preached. (Now I’m not saying that you who are reading, this, aren’t good people. Haha. PLEASE, do not get that notion. I’m not saying that at all, I’m just saying that we as American’s are blind to a lot of the world’s truths – myself being at the top of the list – and its time we start making a move towards finding and learning those truths) I told them that America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and that whatever your life revolves around becomes your love. I told them that we had fallen into the trap, not intentionally, but we had definitely fallen. I told them we had been desensitized from the realities of the world – the pain, hunger, and oppression that was very real for a vast majority of the world. That our perspectives had shifted inwards and we viewed the “world” as just seeing what we see in the States, “our own little world”, see…and we had forgotten that we are only 6% of the world’s population.
I apologized that we set up these organizations that preach of a Savior who was born in stable, who was homeless, while our lives evolve around the consumerism and materialism that has taken over America. I apologized on account of our blindness to the fact that in the gospel today we, as Americans, are the rich man with multitudes of food and fine clothes and we had left Lazarus hangin’… we have neglected our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world …that we were wrong to claim we were the arms of Christ when we weren’t reaching…we were wrong to claim we were the hands of Christ when we weren’t healing…we were wrong to claim we were His feet when we weren’t moving…And we were wrong to claim His words of the way when we weren’t LOVING. It made me realize more than ever that everyday I am still learning to breathe.
But I had to smile…Our God is MIGHTY to save.
He saves the wretch; He is the ‘physician for those who are ill’
So there is Hope. And that’s the note I left them with, that I have hope; That all is not lost. That there ARE plenty of people who get it, and who will work to help to bring those who are blind to light… not by word, but by deed….not by talking, but by silently walking with a smile…
Our addictions to this world are not our fault – but they are our problem. It’s not our fault that it was the environment we were raised in, or the examples we were shown, but it is still an issue that needs to be overcome – it is still our problem.
So this is what I took from this question of evangelization today… We need to stop talking and we need to listen…its all about perspective…and many times its not about our own
“Now that I see that I am responsible, Faith without deeds is dead.”
“What matters most: how well you walk through the fire – burning in water or drowning in flames.”
-Meriwether, “Paper Airplane Machine”
If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?
-1 John 3:17
The poor are all those who stand in need of OUR love, our time, our interest, our concern.
Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life.
-1 Timothy 6:17-19
“In the evening of Life, we shall be judged on love.”
-Saint John of the Cross
“I believe in…
The same thing that makes the night become day
The tide and the water
The sons and the daughters
Can’t fight it, Can’t buy it…Love
I’m gonna say it again
It’s the same thing that makes the Moonlight meet up with the Sunlight
Can’t fight it, Can’t buy it…Love
Things have been seemin’ real ready these days..
From the north to the south to the east to the west…
When happiness – is a bullet to your chest – when its your turn.”
-Citizen Cope, “Nite Becomes Day”
“Brothers and Sisters unite, It’s the time of your lives
it’s the time of your lives..
break down, break down
gotta spread love around, gotta spread it around”
-Coldplay, “Brothers and Sisters”
“Every day we pay the price, we’re a living sacrifice, jamming till the jamming through”
-Bob Marley, “Jamming”
Dear Matt,
ReplyDeleteYour blogs are reaching a lot of people as you walk in the steps of Christ.
God bless, Dave Dionisi