A Luxurious Evening

Last evening the Internet was down in my house, so I hopped in my car and headed to the local coffee shop. The burst of spontaneity,…the breath of independence,…the excuse to sit behind the steering wheel and drive my own car, order a scrumptiously sweet scone, and enjoy the relaxing environment at Panera… It was… delicious. The luxury of it all was not lost on me.

Once I heard a sermon in which the pastor said that 2% (I think it was 2 –it was something low!) of the world’s population have their own means of transportation (a bicycle qualifying as such), have more than one pair of shoes, and have more than one option of what to eat when they’re hungry. (I could be getting the exact stats wrong, but the point was there). I’m IN that 2%.

The fact that I have plenty of shoes, can hop in my own car, drive to a coffee shop and order whatever I want from the menu is… a luxury. I love it. It’s a blessing I don’t deserve. Yet, in Asia when I missed the independence of driving, and so many blessed luxuries of this country, I found myself audaciously feeling a sense of entitlement. “I’m an American. I have rights to live the American Dream just as much as the rest of my American friends and family do. Why am I HERE?” was my thought. Yet do any of us have rights? Of course not. Everything we receive is a gift from the Father of lights. I love His gift of being able to drive my car.

It’s a bit ironic to me that when I talk about the field I often sense a little bit of longing and/or awe in people. I’m trying to figure it out. Do they want to go? They definitely want to help. Several people have told me so. Although they don’t feel the Lord’s leading them overseas personally, there is an excitement about what He is doing there. People want to be part of it, and I have somehow become their bridge to that poverty-stricken, action-packed place. How can they help? The most obvious answer I feel is COME! The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are so very few. I pray that He will send more laborers into the harvest. …but usually, that’s not the answer people are expecting. Some other ways people can help are: we need graphic design artists to help develop PR material; collect and send books and/or clothing donations, raise money, sponsor a child….

Interestingly, something that is helpful itself is people telling me their desire to help. Knowing that other peoples’ hearts are with me in the work is encouraging, but it also helps to remind me to be thankful that I am called to serve there instead of complaining about things I miss. Being on the “front lines” is a privilege.

Eventually, I DO want to drive in the Saffron Land. But I have a problem that presents another way someone may be able to help. Can anyone teach me how to drive a stick shift? ;o)