Yesterday i had the awesome opportunity to head to Cincue Terre, or the five lands, probably the most beautiful place i've ever been. It was a great day to spend with a Christian fellowship group from England as they are spending the week touring Italy. The encouragement i recieved from this group was amazing, as i didn't know before we went that they were Christians. It was only after the day was most of the way finished that i realized that each one had a passionate and very authentic faith with Jesus Christ, and that was what had brought them together. So good.
Anyway, as we headed home on a two hour train ride, i had the chance to meet an Italian lady on her way to Parma, where we were also headed before Modena. We started talking and she seemed very sociable; however, at some point in time she found out i was an American. There began an hour-long and generally incoreherent rant about George Bush, the Iraq war and how it was fought in an attempt by American to establish a new imperialism (and to secure petrolium rites) and how GB senior was good friends with Osama bin Laden--that one i actually laughed at, something i probably shouldn't have done as it made her pretty angry. What does a Christian do in a situation like that? How does one choose between representing your country and representing Christ?
That was the question i was faced with yesterday, and i am still trying to find a sufficent answer. What i do know is that we are citizens of heaven, first and foremost, and our representation must first and foremost be of that. It is easy to let emotions run wild and political sentiments dictate responses. But is that why i am here? Have i not been called to a higher purpose?
In the end, i saw it was hopeless to try to reason with this lady, as she was unwilling to even to listen to an explanation. Instead, i listened to what she had to say, waited until she was done, and then politely excused myself from conversation with her. i don't know; i hope that's what Christ would've done.
Europe is an area so hot right now politically, socially, and spiritually. Each day holds new opportunities, but almost every one of them require a denial of self, even the closest of personal ideals. Dietrich Bonhoeffer gives me some insight:
I discovered and am still discovering up to this very moment that it is only by living completely in this world that one learns to believe. One must attempt to abandon every attempt to make something of oneself, whether it be a saint, a churchman (the priestly type, so called!) a righteous man or an unrighteous one, a sick man or a healthy one. This is what I mean by worldliness - taking life in one's stride, with all its duties and problems, its successes and failures, its experiences and helplessness. It is in such a life that we throw ourselves into the arms of God and participate in his sufferings in the world and watch with Christ in Gethsemane. That is faith,... that is what makes a man and a Christian... How can success make us arrogant or failure lead us astray, when we participate in the sufferings of God by living in this world?
Many days i wonder who i am, and i know there's only one answer: "Whoever i am, Lord, i am yours." i am yours, Jesus.
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