Hope for Life Blog

50 hours in airplanes and airports and then another 12 hours in a van, going to the countries of Malawi and Tanzania in East Africa takes a lot of time from Abilene, Texas.

Herald of Truth, the mass media ministry I’m associated with, has worked in those areas for almost a decade, but this was my first trip to the African continent. It was last July, summer in Texas, winter in Africa, but it was warm in both locales.

During my nine day visit I experienced a number of things: policemen in Malawi toting weapons asking for a ride to their headquarters about five miles away, bicycles as transports for almost everything, friendliness of the people, security for an African president with military vehicles and mounted machine guns on all sides of the presidential entourage, Tanzanian traffic police pulling us over and asking for money because they were thirsty, Americans especially are seen as the super rich, and a Africans hunger to fill both bodies and souls.

Thus I would like to offer some BO, Brant’s Observations, derived from my visit to the African continent.

In General:

1. We Americans whine too much! We gripe about everything that’s not convenient for us, while the rest of the world waits and endures long lines, basic food staples being in short supply, and houses which lack electricity and plumbing.
2. Related to one. While the American government system and culture may be messed up by the politicians and bureaucrats it’s still the best on earth and it’s time those of us who live here thank God and those who came before us for paving the way for us.
3. Compared to those I saw, spoke with, worked with… we are rich!!! And almost arrogantly we consume more than our share of the world’s resources.
4. We assume everyone lives just like we do. We may recognize the fallacy of that thought but we act like it is true. This thought was described in the 1958 political novel The Ugly American by Burdick and Lederer. We think everyone has our advantages, thinks like we do and should act like we do. But it is we who are most privileged of the world’s population.
5. Sandals and flip-flops are fashion statements in America but in Africa they are a much sought after necessity.

In Religious Aspects

1. While most of the world moves to a “post Christian” model, in Africa there is a hunger to know about God and Jesus.
2. American churches are more concerned with taking care of their own than being witnesses to nonbelievers and others. 80-90% of the average church budget is related to internal things: minister salaries, building payments, utilities, lawn care. Outreach to non-believers is 10-20% of that same budget.
3. American churches have moved away from evangelistic campaigns or evangelistic mission trips, replacing them with service projects like building homes or hosting medical clinics. While these activities provide good things—if we don’t tell them in whose name we come, what makes us different from other organizations? We should all do things in the name of Jesus, not “the _____ _______ church.” In Africa, probably because they have very little in material resources, the churches there talk a lot about Jesus.

My trip was not that unusual from what others experience when they too go to Africa, but for me the perspective was eye opening and priceless.

Which of my BOs to you agree with? Which do you disagree with? Most importantly tell us Why.

Naaman was an important man. He was head of the army of one of the major world powers. The Bible tells us that God has used him to win great victories for his king, the king of Syria.

Naaman was brave. Naaman was influential. Naaman was very, very sick.

He had what the Bible calls leprosy. This can mean any of a number of skin conditions, not just Hansen’s disease (the scientific name for modern leprosy).

Leprosy was taken very seriously. It was thought to be extremely contagious. Because of this, people with leprosy lived isolated lives, cut off from the rest of society. For a public figure, this was especially tragic.

Then someone told Naaman that there was a prophet named Elisha who could cure him of his illness. Naaman traveled to the land of Israel to find this prophet and seek to be healed.

When Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house, the prophet didn’t come out to greet his visitor. Instead, he sent a servant to inform Naaman that he was to submerge himself seven times in the Jordan River in order to be healed.

Naaman was outraged! Not only had the prophet not received him personally, but the holy man had the gall to suggest that Naaman dirty himself in the filthy waters of Israel. If Naaman needed a bath, he could use one of Syria’s mighty rivers.

Servants convinced the military man that he had nothing to lose by trying what the prophet had told him. Naaman swallowed his pride and went to the Jordan. He went down one time, two times, three times… and when he came up the seventh time, his skin was clear. He was healed! (You can read the whole story in the fifth chapter of 2 Kings)

I’m like Naaman at times. God wants me to do what? He wants me to go where? That doesn’t even make sense!

God’s instructions don’t always make sense. Love my enemies? Don’t worry about tomorrow? Eat bread and drink wine to remember His Son? Submerge myself in water in order to be cleansed?

At some point, we have to decide who is going to rule our lives. Will it be God? Or will it be common sense? Will God tell me what’s right and wrong? Or will logic be my guide?

Am I willing to have faith that God is good enough, wise enough and powerful enough to do what’s best for me?

Today I want to encourage you to trust God, to build your life around Him, even when you can’t understand every detail of what is going on. Follow God, even when He doesn’t make sense.

The ancient city of Laodicea had a water problem. The problem was there was no water. At least not in the city itself. There were hot springs 6 miles away near the town of Hierapolis. That water wasn’t drinkable and would lose its soothing warmth by the time it was taken to Laodicea. At about the same distance in the opposite direction, there were deliciously cool sources of water around Denizli. These waters would also lose their cool temperature when transported to Laodicea, resulting in an unpleasantly warm drink. The only water available to the Laodiceans was lukewarm at best.

When Jesus addressed the Christians of this city in the book of Revelation, he used an illustration they would understand: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). The Greek word translated “spit” is more accurately translated “vomit.” It’s an unpleasant image for an unpleasant condition: Christians who have lost their passion, who have compromised their loyalty to Christ.

Unfortunately, the world has seen too many Christians just like this. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” The agnostic Sheldon Vanuaken wrote,

The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians–when they are sombre and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.

If you’re not a Christian and that’s the only Christianity you’ve seen, then I’d urge you to look again. There are Christians who have overcome this perpetual state of apathy. They know that Christianity isn’t just about showing up at church at certain times. It’s a way of life. As Vanuaken said, such Christians are the best argument for Christianity that exists.

If you are a Christian, but find that lukewarm describes your faith, let me encourage you to go back to the basics. Focus on Bible study and prayer. Find a church and make yourself an active part of it. Reconnect with God each week by participating in the Lord’s Supper.

Nobody likes lukewarm. Nobody wants to be lukewarm. And nobody wants Jesus to “spit them out.” If you need help rekindling your faith or don’t know where to find a church to be a part of, just leave a comment or contact us through this site.