The Ethiopian citizens are a beautiful people. Besides having smiles that crease their faces from ear to ear, they have a sweet, sweet spirit and the gift of Hospitality. Today we ventured out to receive an Ethiopian history and culture lesson, particularly the impact of Christianity upon its development. We were warmly received every place except by one person when we visited an ancient Orthodox church.
An elderly woman acted as the “gate keeper” and perceived us as being vile intruders invading a holy and sacred space. She screamed violently and raised her arms warning us to retreat. After learning that we Jesus followers her face lit up with a smile and in her own language seemed to say “Come on in. Welcome to the house of the Lord. ”
Though the “gate keeper” changed her posture and allowed us in it caused me to wonder, “What if we had been lost people seeking God? What if we were looking for answers to the questions of life? Or what if we were worldly tourists who might be strangely warmed and changed by the God stories surrounding her sacred space? What if we were wandering vagabonds needing food and shelter?”
I know the woman thought she was doing the right thing. She was protecting her worship space. She was preventing the ways of the world from tainting that which was holy. She was trying to honor God by denying evil entrance into a place of peace. She was insuring that we wouldn’t touch , defile or change anything that meant so much to her and countless others, but she could have been turning away someone who needed the Lord.
And as soon as I started to think “How dare her deny us access to the story of God?” I was convicted that we share her guilt for we do the same thing. Like the “gate keeper” we try and preserve the holiness and sacredness of our worship space, our worship style, and our worship time. You have to dress this way, act that way, conform to my way, pray and sing this way and we believe we are doing the right thing. We judge. We criticize. We gossip. We gather in clicks. We ignore.
The world is full of people who need a relationship with Jesus Christ. Many are moving into our communities, some live next door and others are shopping church to church searching for a place to belong.
What will be our response when lost people move in next door to our place of dwelling, consternation or invitation? How will we greet those who don’t look, act, dress , or speak like us as when they enter our sacred space? “Turn away evil intruders, you are not welcome here.” Or will it be “Come on in. Welcome to the house of the Lord.”
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
Matthew 25: 45
After five hours of negotiations, pages of documents and $200 Leigh Ann Roy recovered our video camera.
Claudia finally received her suitcase packed with all her clothes.
Everyone of us are thankful for both. Thursday we will work at the Kechene Orphanage in Addis. We are praying for you even as you pray for us.
Peace,
Rick
