It's Burden and Challenge
This chapter, as all first chapters should, sets up the book and hooks you in. Though probably not in a way you might expect. It doesn't start with a story of success, or a big pep talk on how you can be a better servant. In fact, like many of the stories you will read, you may find yourself both cringing at the "obvious" error of the person in the story, and finding that they really resemble you in some eerily close ways. You will also probably find a few good laughs, often at the author's expense. Elmer writes very conversationally and the chapters seems to fly by, though not in a way that
This chapter, as all first chapters should, sets up the book and hooks you in. Though probably not in a way you might expect. It doesn't start with a story of success, or a big pep talk on how you can be a better servant. In fact, like many of the stories you will read, you may find yourself both cringing at the "obvious" error of the person in the story, and finding that they really resemble you in some eerily close ways. You will also probably find a few good laughs, often at the author's expense. Elmer writes very conversationally and the chapters seems to fly by, though not in a way that you forget the points you need to work on. Simple, memorable, and applicable is how I would describe it.
So, chapter one. On the second page Elmer writes, "While not being easy, [cross-cultural servanthood] is the calling of every person who wishes to follow Jesus, whether in your home culture or beyond." I think you will find this sentence true as soon as you walk out your front door, or even climb into bed with your spouse.
We generally think of culture-crossing as something you do in a distant land where the people wear loincloths made of animal skins and feathers, and they still use sticks and stones as their primary tools. That is the real cross-cultural experience. And while it is certainly true that that would count as a cross-cultural experience, whether you share a bed with the person or your backyards touch, literally everyone you meet has a different culture, the differences are merely that of degree, shades of gray, amount of overlap. Obviously, with your parents and siblings you will have more cultural overlap than with the guy who lives in the trailer park in the poorer side of town and can't keep a job, or with the wealthy business owner who lives on in the rich quarter and can't decide what to do with all his money. The point being, I think you will find that this book is less about leaving the country than it is leaving your own personal habits and customs behind, and engaging people in a way that points to the Servant-King Jesus who calls you to follow him. What he wants us to learn now is the Servant role. The King role comes at glory.
He also says, "Servanthood is revealed in simple, everyday events. But it's complex because servanthood his culturally defined--that is, serving must be sensitive to the cultural landscape while remaining true to the Scripture. That is both the challenge and burden of servanthood..."
So, chapter one. On the second page Elmer writes, "While not being easy, [cross-cultural servanthood] is the calling of every person who wishes to follow Jesus, whether in your home culture or beyond." I think you will find this sentence true as soon as you walk out your front door, or even climb into bed with your spouse.
We generally think of culture-crossing as something you do in a distant land where the people wear loincloths made of animal skins and feathers, and they still use sticks and stones as their primary tools. That is the real cross-cultural experience. And while it is certainly true that that would count as a cross-cultural experience, whether you share a bed with the person or your backyards touch, literally everyone you meet has a different culture, the differences are merely that of degree, shades of gray, amount of overlap. Obviously, with your parents and siblings you will have more cultural overlap than with the guy who lives in the trailer park in the poorer side of town and can't keep a job, or with the wealthy business owner who lives on in the rich quarter and can't decide what to do with all his money. The point being, I think you will find that this book is less about leaving the country than it is leaving your own personal habits and customs behind, and engaging people in a way that points to the Servant-King Jesus who calls you to follow him. What he wants us to learn now is the Servant role. The King role comes at glory.
He also says, "Servanthood is revealed in simple, everyday events. But it's complex because servanthood his culturally defined--that is, serving must be sensitive to the cultural landscape while remaining true to the Scripture. That is both the challenge and burden of servanthood..."
Servanthood is revealed in innumerable communication moments every day. It could be the way you respond to your boss. Or how you lead a meeting, or talk to a colleague. Or how you drive your car (or ride the bus, or your bike). How you check out your items at the grocery store. Even how you perceive (judge) people in the secret places of your own mind. The burden is to reach out to those who are not exactly like you (and who is?). The challenge is to do it in a way that honors and glorifies God.
Here are a few more quotes to feed you brain and get you thinking.
- "Missionaries (read Christians) could more effectively minister the gospel of Christ if they did not think they were so superior to us."
- "The reality is that many of us want to serve from our own cultural context. That is, we believe that servanthood everywhere else probably looks like it does in our own culture. In fact, I am inclined to think that there's a little switch in our head somewhere. When we call ourselves a servant, the switch is triggered and we automatically believe that everything we do from there on will epitomize servanthood. In other words, calling ourselves a servant means we are a servant. If others cannot see it, that is their problem."
- "It's not our words that count but the perceptions of the local people who watch our lives and sense our attitudes."
- "Among the hardest tasks in life is to divest ourselves of the culture we wear so comfortably." And that is what Elmer, through this book, hopes to help you do.
I'll leave you to wrestle with that. I hope you'll comment on these posts, and dialogue might begin.
Peace.
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