December 12th Reflections

Buddhism was recently summarized to me by a man who grew up in Asia as renouncing desire for anything so as to avoid suffering. In other words, if we have no expectations or desires, then we will never have the pain of disappointment. However, this false peace negates one of the primary purposes of suffering. When we have pain because of the choices resulting from our sin and rebellion against God, the consequences are designed to cause us to cry out to and seek Him. Without suffering our motivation to do so would decrease. Today as I was walking I thought about my experiences in Brazil over the last four years. I have received what many in ministry desire. I was treated like royalty, and could basically preach whatever, whenever and wherever I desired with groups ranging in size from a living room full to fifteen hundred listening attentively. Brethren extended extraordinary hospitality to me. They drove me around, fed me copiously including at nice restaurants, washed my clothes and essentially waited on me hand and foot. I had the opportunity to travel in the entourage of a man with a world wide ministry. I was treated with honor and respect beyond my dreams. If there was a line of a thousand people waiting up to an hour to be fed after sitting in a conference for many hours, people insisted that I go to the front of the line. Although I was never comfortable with all of this, it certainly was heady stuff. Yet at the end of the day I was not making disciples. I am deeply thankful to God that by His grace I have let this go. Working with individual men one on one and actually seeing them grow is far more fulfilling and rewarding. When I heard a man pray recently thanking God that the words of the Bible had come alive for him I rejoiced. When a young man received my offer of discipleship I glorified God. When another young men has had his vision of discipleship refreshed so that he will return to his native country ready to give what God has given him into other's lives I bow in adoration before King Jesus. Who needs a position or a title or the royal treatment when he can make disciples of Jesus Christ?