What We Love….




Phil* 3:7-8
“But whatever were gains to me, I now consider loss for the sake of Chri$t. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Chri$t Je$us my L0rd, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Chri$t.”

I have been thinking a lot about how we give up things for that which we love. We sacrifice and make a way, not because it doesn’t pain us at times, but because we believe the sacrifice is worth the loss for the gain to come. 

The family I live with now has a “cousin-brother” (as they call them here) living with us. He is an extended family member from the village who couldn’t afford to go to school most of his life. When we was afforded the opportunity to come to a bigger city and have the chance to go to school and earn an education, he left his family to come live with his “uncle” and pursue a better life.  Many Indi@ns here leave their family and travel to bigger cities or even other countries, leaving all behind in pursuit of money or education and a better life for those in their own family.  Usually it’s not for the sole purpose of a personal gain, but for the betterment of the entire family.

My new “cousin-brother” is about 17 years old and probably in 9th grade, maybe even a lower grade. He faces ridicule of speaking a different dialect, clearing coming from a lower income family and caste, and being grades behind his age range. He lives with our family, barely ever seeing his biological family in hopes he will some day be able to get a decent paying job and send money to the other family members in the village.  As I look at his hard work and long hours spent each day walking to and from school and studying, I can’t help but think of all he gives up. 

His life has pointed me towards the passage of scripture above. I have been meditating on it and thinking about G0d’s sacrifice too. He sacrificed His son and felt the loss knowing the gain that would come.  I have been thinking about the things that we are willing to give up for that which we love. So often as I travel through America people commend me on my sacrifice and willingness to come to Indi@. In some senses, yes there is sacrifice to my culture and leaving family behind, but in reality, there is such gain, such gain. It makes it worth it all. My loss is nothing in comparison to all I am learning, all G0d is doing in me, and for the sake of the Kingdom of G0d. Being here isn’t a loss for me… it’s a gain.  I truly believe when we are walking out what the L0rd calls us to, we can’t help but be filled up, satisfied, and see the gains that come in sacrifice.  Je$us is worth it all.


My cousin-brother’s name is Bharat, which means “Indi@”.  Perhaps you can pr*y for him and his family as you think of Indi@.

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