My time in Accra has been great. I had a week of quarantine. It actually went quite fast. I think I am good at doing nothing. And then my second week has been visiting and catching up with friends and people who I used to do ministry with. I was back and forth in and out of the guesthouse. We have to wear masks all the time so that is exhausting and cumbersome but, so be it. Friends came to the guesthouse to hang out, some I went to their place. I am back to greetings like, “How are you? I am fine, thank you and you? Oh, by God’s grace we are doing well.” It is amazing that some of the little kids I used to do programs with are now about to enter high school. Or some of the youth I was part of are now youth leaders. So very encouraging.
I would like to share with you one of the quiet times I had.
One night, I could not fall asleep. I was desperate. Since Dagbani makes me tired I pulled out my Dagbani Bible and English Bible. I went through Matthew 5. Jesus says, “ Do not resist the one who is evil.” The evil person here is one who takes your cloak and then you should give your shirt. Or one who slaps you, you then give him the other cheek. Or one who forces you to go one mile, you go with him another. Also he says to give to the one who begs.
The phrase that got me was “Do not resist the one who is evil.” “Really, Lord? Ok, ! I will be ready to love this kind of person, one who is evil.” My pride in me was thinking I love people, this will be easy.
The next morning. I borrowed the SIM van to run errands. I came up to a traffic light. At traffic lights here there are beggars. The man who came towards my vehicle was a person of a different religion. I could tell by the way he dressed. I heard myself in my mind say, “This man is evil because he is against God.” So, as he passed I did not give him anything EVEN THOUGH this Scripture passage came to me and pricked my conscience! I was grateful for the green light so that I could run away from what I should have done.
Now, there are lots of discussions on what to do with beggars. Give or not give. Give money or food. Share a track or pray with them. This is not the point. The point is I had an encounter with the Lord in His Word about not resisting one who is evil. I failed. I decided what was right in my own eyes. I judged this man based on his religion and previous experience with these people. My attitude and actions fell short of love.
Does anyone love this man? Does anyone care for him and feed him? I do not know. Just because I give him a few coins does that mean he is cared for? Have I done my Christian duty by helping a beggar like the other part of the Word says?
God, how can you love this man who doesn’t believe you, who may even hate you? I asked this to the Lord and sensed a quiet response of, “because he doesn’t know Me.”
God gave me an opportunity to experience Him and his ways. I was stuck in a way of thinking that is familiar with a pharisee. I thought myself to “big” to stoop to this level. The level was love. The level was not resisting. You would think it is so simple. You would think a missionary would be an A student at this.
I needed this reminder to see where I really am in reading and doing the Word. There are many people here who I would consider “one who is evil” and yet that was who I once was too. But by God’s grace I have been made friends with God says Romans 5. I am sure these people also would love to know how they can be friends of God.
Next time may I be ready in word or deed to show them they are loved.