In our walk with God, sometimes we forget things that we used to know so well. In all the business of ministry, expectations, our own and others, we can often lose the basics, even the foundations of our faith. While trying to do good and do our best, we forget to listen to Holy Spirit and find out what He wants.
My boy, this term at school and kids church, has been learning all about the fruits of the Spirit. I love chatting with him all about it, and remembering some things that I'd lost.
Our Christianity is ultimately about becoming more Christ-like. Am I trying to become a better mother, a better wife, a better servant, a better leader, a better friend? What is the image that I'm trying to live up to to become those things? Is it one created in my mind, by my own experiences, desires, fears and pride? And when will I know if I have achieved it? What is my measure of success? For me, thats pressure that I don't need to be putting upon myself. Its an idea that's basically founded on others and how I appear to them. How could I ever know what they expect? And could I ever meet their expectations?
But if instead, my aim is to become more like Christ. Then I will naturally become a better wife, mother, servant, leader, friend. Christ is the best example to follow - the only pure image of God in man.
Am I measuring myself against others, and against my own ideas of how I should be? Or am I measuring myself against Christ, am I living for Him or others?
Now the question of how to become Christ-like is one I like. I could imitate Him. Try to be like Him, do what He does, or what I think He would expect me to do.
But no matter how hard I try, I can't be perfect like Him. Again, more expectations that I can't live up to.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our councilor and our guide. If we only ask the Father for the Holy Spirit He will give Him to us. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness - what is that everything? Its Holy Spirit. If instead of trying our best, controlling our behaviour, we allow Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to immerse us, to overtake us, we will be filled with life, with hope, with the wonderful fruits of the Spirit.
We are a people of the Spirit. As we keep in step with Holy Spirit, He empowers us to live like Christ, to love like Christ. In any situation, if He is in control, then our response will be godly and like Christ's.
I desire to know Holy Spirit more and to keep in step with Him.

Excursion to our discomfort zone

6/12/09

Excursion to our discomfort zone.

I think the thing I enjoyed most was the chance to take young people out of their comfort zone and watching them move from fear, to engagement, and then to enjoyment.

I am so glad that there is space at a school like mine to innovate. I wanted to take my Year 7 Japanese students to Auburn to visit the Japanese Garden at their botanical gardens but I was looking for some new things to do the rest of the day to make it worth the trip. The idea came to mind to take the students into the middle of Auburn to have some very different experiences than what they might ever have in Penrith.

Penrith is quite mono-cultural. There is a vast difference in the variety and volume of cultures even from areas just fifteen minutes away. Many grow up in the area quite ignorant of the experience of new migrant cultures and refugees. This ignorance breeds fear. “Aussie Pride” stickers on cars are popular. It is not a surprise to hear extreme opinions on migration and asylum seekers, or the influence of Asian and Islamic cultures.

After a great time at the Japanese Garden (www.auburn.nsw.gov.au/page.aspx?id=652) we moved to Auburn’s CBD to try some baklava. Students did a quick double take looking at all sorts of pastries that they had never seen before but were encouraged to try a few. With no idea what each one was called they had to point and shoot to order. They were surprised at the great prices but enjoyed the exciting sweetness of the tasty pastries.

We moved just around the corner to the Wellspring Café run by Pastors Peter and May Thornton (www.citywestcc.com). I had contacted Peter through his webpage and he was generous with advice about Auburn. He was also generous enough to let us rest in the backroom of the café and share with us his story of why they had moved from coastal, mono-cultural Noosa to melting-pot Auburn. Their story is a great example of obedience to God’s calling, moving from culture shock to cultural engagement, from fear to love for the wonderful mix of peoples that now call Auburn ‘home’. Peter shared passionately about reaching out to the community and developing respect within it through the café. Attempts at making otherwise effective church models work in that context were fruitless and gave way to questions that have led them to use the café as a bridge into the community, a chance to develop friendships and invite people to share meals and gather in the backroom which was also shared with us.

For lunch we set out in smaller groups to go to small eateries with the challenge to all to try food we had never had before. I took my group to a small kebab shop called Desire Café (58 Auburn Rd). When the students screwed up their noses at the menu boards, I knew we had found the right place. The students took a while to order but all were impressed with the flavour. I asked the kind lady making our lunch to suggest what I would eat. She gave me an amazing mix of marinated lamb, baba ganoush, pickles and salad. It was an amazing explosion of flavours. We were treated to free baked sweets from the counter, given discounts and great hospitality.

People on the street and shop-keepers stopped to ask us where we were from and why we had chosen to come to Auburn. I was personally impressed with the openness and friendliness of strangers and the community feel even within the busiest streets of this city.

And then the most challenging and interesting part of the excursion, the visit to the Gallipoli Mosque (www.gallipolimosque.org.au). Some parents and students had opted out of the excursion because of this element, and I had to respect their decision. It was also my first time to visit a mosque and I was somewhat concerned about what might be shown or said, but I guess I was driven by my own curiosity as well.

We met our tour guide, Ozlem, a young Turkish woman, and she showed us some of the important elements of the mosque. The Gallipoli Mosque is the largest mosque in the southern hemisphere and is based on the design of mosques of Turkey. Ozlem showed us the area for washing before prayer and the minaret before taking us inside.

The first thing that had shaken the students out of their comfort zone was the dress standards required to enter the mosque. Boys were to wear trousers, girls to wear their skirts below the knee and to cover their arms to the wrist. It was oddly enjoyable to see 12 and 13 year olds get their head around cultural standards of dress that weren’t theirs. I hadn’t been faced with that challenge until I visited the Philippines on a short ministry trip.

We took off our shoes and were shown inside the mosque itself. The room and the dome are beautifully decorated, colourful calligraphy of the scriptures of the Quran. Ozlem shared many things about Islam’s doctrine and practice. She spoke calmly and graciously.

We learnt by visiting the mosque and meeting Ozlem that we don’t have to be afraid of engaging with Islam and its people. Islamic culture is suspicious of Christianity because it sees the worldly excesses of Western culture and assumes they are synonymous. Christians fear Islam because we equate it with its radical elements.

We should question our acceptance and familiarity with the worldly culture of the West. The blurry line between Kingdom culture and the world is a stumbling block for our neighbours to know Christ.

We should challenge legalism that exists in ourselves or otherwise we are not distinctive from our Islamic friends. In fact we should perhaps be more afraid of those who meet in the name of Christ but preach salvation by works, than Muslims that do. As always, beginning to end, our distinctive is grace. Undeserved favour, received by faith.

We have nothing to fear, but we have a lost world to engage with. I am proud of a bunch of young teenagers who went beyond their comfort zone. I pray that many of them would make a habit of it, and like the Thorntons of Auburn, be ready to obey God’s call to become a bridge between Him and the lost.