Lessons from Peru
This year's passage has come suddenly, I have been here an eternity, I have been here but a moment. Lessons learned usually come hard, and never without a repetition or struggle. When I return to the United States, the passage of time might all too easily erase that struggle and it's accompanying lessons. I will enumerate a few lessons, and then try to explain why I find them so important, and so difficult.
1. Live Simply. I realize Prioritization is easier here. Nevertheless, I idealize, maintaining the superior lifestyle of good sleep, food, companionship, and daily cold showers.
2. Communicate Directly. Vague communication precipitates vague conclusions, leaving both parties feeling vaguely resentful, forever to roil in endless vaguery. Unfortunatly, hinting and speaking indirectly are often mistaken for courtesy, resulting in nothing but prolonged misunderstanding.
3. Embrace your own Weakness. God has an impeccable track record when his power united to people who realized they were absolute wimps.
Why is this so difficult?
1. Life, especially in the U.S., is busy. In fact, you probably think everything you do that makes you so busy is quite important. In many cases, I just like being busy. But, "business" can be like static on the radio. If you are too busy, you might not get a clear reception from God.
2. I don't like to hurt people. I want to please everyone. In fact, laying your thoughts out on the table can be painful. However, I beleive that ultimately, clear communication is absolutely necessary to maintain healthy relationships.
3. Weakness and insufficiency are never espoused as being ideal character traits. It stings to be told you are a wimp, but why? Pride? Absolutely. Like Gideon, we have to own up to being "the least". Until we let go of our own self-sufficiency, we can't excell for God.
1. Live Simply. I realize Prioritization is easier here. Nevertheless, I idealize, maintaining the superior lifestyle of good sleep, food, companionship, and daily cold showers.
2. Communicate Directly. Vague communication precipitates vague conclusions, leaving both parties feeling vaguely resentful, forever to roil in endless vaguery. Unfortunatly, hinting and speaking indirectly are often mistaken for courtesy, resulting in nothing but prolonged misunderstanding.
3. Embrace your own Weakness. God has an impeccable track record when his power united to people who realized they were absolute wimps.
Why is this so difficult?
1. Life, especially in the U.S., is busy. In fact, you probably think everything you do that makes you so busy is quite important. In many cases, I just like being busy. But, "business" can be like static on the radio. If you are too busy, you might not get a clear reception from God.
2. I don't like to hurt people. I want to please everyone. In fact, laying your thoughts out on the table can be painful. However, I beleive that ultimately, clear communication is absolutely necessary to maintain healthy relationships.
3. Weakness and insufficiency are never espoused as being ideal character traits. It stings to be told you are a wimp, but why? Pride? Absolutely. Like Gideon, we have to own up to being "the least". Until we let go of our own self-sufficiency, we can't excell for God.
posted by Jonas at 4:57 PM
4 Comments:
thanks for those excellent reminders, John.
Excellent Observations, dude! Makes me wonder how much of what I do from day to day is really necessary...
btw, when are you actually making the journey back to the states?
formula for true sucess
I really liked the lessons you learned on communication. It is so true that many times being vague to avoid hurting people's feelings ends to the detriment of all involved.
And also, the lesson about being weak so that Christ can be magnified. It reminds me of a verse I was reading the other day in Acts. "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13. It is only when we realize our own sinfulness and humanity that God can truly take over and be glorified through us. And it's so amazing that it works that way! Just think, we can be witnesses for Christ even though we are the worst of all sinners!
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