In the previous blog post, I wrote about the servanthood of the Egyptian Christians that we were fortunate enough to meet. How, despite their circumstances that can hold them back, their labour produces such beautiful and sweet fruit. And that they understand certain things about Christianity that so often go beyond our scope. That they, although they are imperfect like us, show us that we should maybe, more often than not, revise our thinking and actions. That a life of complete servanthood to God is in fact possible, but so often looks different than what we would have wanted it to look like.
And you may hate the Egyptian Christians for bringing this to our attention, for should we not then be able to do the same? Hate them, because they show us that Christianity asks us to say farewell to our comforts, self-created bubbles and ideals. Yet, we should truly love them for it. For they show the key to true fulfilment in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour. They show that nothing is more important than a long-term obedience towards Christ. They prove that it is possible to look beyond Earthly desires, pleasures, and thrills. They tell us to look past the glamorous things that are fun now because it is not what Jesus sought after.
Do not understand me wrong, I am not saying that Jesus lived a gloomy life, in fact, I am pretty sure He lived the most wonderous life ever, filled with joy and laughter and all the emotions that God gave to man in His image – this is despite the GREATEST burden that Jesus had to carry. God created us to live joy-filled lives, among other things, but I just do not see Jesus conforming to the supposedly joy-bringing activities and lifestyle that the world portrays today. Just look into The Bible to see how He spent His days on earth. I do believe that we were made to live like royalty, we are in fact children of God. To live like royalty, but without neglecting the duties of true royalty. And I have to stress this point, this is royalty in conjunction with our communion with God and the perfect world which He created. A perfect world which, because of mankind’s disobedience to God, is not what it was intended to be, and thus is the reason that we can not completely live like we were intended to live. Can princes and princesses go about their luscious feast whilst their kingdom is struck with hunger, poverty, sickness, decay, corruption and lawlessness? Should true royalty not live like the least of their subjects in that situation, or does their bloodline, a stroke of luck, give them the right to place themselves above others who just were not as fortunate to be born royal?
You may say that we live in a completely different society than these Egyptian Christians and that their lifestyle does not apply to our circumstances. That they would do the exact same as us when they were in our shoes. And it may very well be true, but I doubt it; if they know then what they’ve come to know now. You may say that we can afford to help others while still being able to live like kings and queens, and you may be right. You may very well do more than I or even a lot of the Christians in Egypt. Yet Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44 (The widow's offering).
Jesus wants all of our heart and does not want it to be divided. For one may give a hundred thousand Rand, yet still turn one’s back on helping the next one in line and spend five hundred thousand on a new car, whereas a car of two hundred thousand could do the same. I confess that I am a hypocrite as I am writing this, but this is the challenge. I am not saying that you should buy cheaper things, that is for everyone to decide for themselves, I do know that quality things are worth the extra money if treated with respect, yet we need to think whether our actions make us good stewards of the things entrusted to us, now and in the long run to eternity. Because even after God had allowed me to see this treasure, my heart still most of the time rebels against the change that would need to be made manifest in my life to live this way.
But why do we not do everything that we can for God?
The History of Cain and Abel can shed some more light on this pool of shade. “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.” 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:2-7. Abel’s offering was made in revering faith, he gave the best of the best that he could, while Cain’s offering was not from his heart. The passage says, “some fruits of the soil.” It was probably second-class fruits, as the word ‘some’ implies. Cain did not give out of humility and love towards the God that created him and provided for him, but only out of acknowledgement that there is a God. And God saw his heart… God also saw Abel’s heart and was much more satisfied. Do we give that which we so desperately want for ourselves, or think we deserve or need? Or do we give the things to God that we would not really miss if they were gone, things we can still happily live without?
Take note of what God says to Cain, “sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Sin is like moss, it grows in the shadow, where there is not enough Light to inhibit it from growing – there where we are only partly devoted to God but keep the most crucial bits for ourselves. But God also says that we CAN and must rule over it. This was true even before the descension of the Holy Spirit who is our Helper and Paraclete. Do we really have an excuse then to continue in old sin?
It is not easy to give these things that God want by ourselves. The world, ourselves, and Evil (however your view may be on the subject) have corrupted our hearts. Many times, this happens in ways that we cannot see. Think about this. How can we really justify a luxury vacation for ourselves (or any luxury) when people whom God loves just as much as He loves you, and whom you should also love just as much as yourself, must dig an arm’s length into your rubbish? (Do we forget the ache in our hearts that we feel when looking into their eyes in as quick as 1, 2, 3 after a beggar in need crossed paths with us? It could have been me or you, but by Grace, which I cannot understand, I am where I am and not the one sleeping on old newspapers.) Or whilst a child must remain out of school, deprived of intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth, because their parent figure cannot pay for it and forbids them to come back home unless they have gathered a certain amount of money on the streets, which will most probably be used for alcohol or other drugs. The list of brokenness is infinite, and we should be in pain, because God is in pain over all the wickedness in the world, and this includes many things which may seem normal or even good and pleasurable to us these days. We have become blind, and I think we can attribute much of our loss of sight to ourselves; for we are forever in pursuit of pleasure from places other than the Only Pure Source. We turn our gaze away from these spears in Christ’s side, for if we cannot see it, these pains do not exist in our world? Then it does not affect us, and we need not to do anything about it. Right?
The world is broken and has been since the first time that we chose to disobey God. These problems are not just Egyptian problems, and our problems are not only problems in our small personal spheres. WE LACK AWARENESS AND WISDOM. Or maybe it is because we have knowledge, but not wisdom in a sufficient quantity, that the world is how it is? But do we long to gain more of that which we have so little of? For it would require the sacrifice of things that we have come to love. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5.
But please don’t be dismayed, I am not trying to make you miserable or depressed. Believe it or not, just the opposite. Because where God’s hand is in the breadbasket twelve human-sized baskets, yes baskets that were used to carry the lame and sick people to Jesus, filled with bread remains even after those who were hungry had been fed. [John 6:13]
It is true that we live in a world full of birth pains, but we live in a reality where a Loving and Gracious God is King. Let us live with hope and above all, enduring love.
To be continued…
The inside of the Miracle Church at Anafora, a Coptic Monastery/Retreat centre. The story of how this church was built is amazing.
An outside view of the Miracle Church at Anafora.
Note: If you travel to Egypt, expect traffic like this! No rules and no lines...
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