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Protected: Cancelled… Offense… The Abused… Forgiveness… Faithfulness…

April 18, 2023UncategorizedKubacki’s I Angola

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Proverbs

There is a solid “why” behind every one of my Father’s commands and every bible passage has spiritual and practical implications. For example, Jesus admonished us to “deny ourselves”. A primary and practical reason for this command has become increasingly clear to me as we have worked among those with great needs. If I primarily focus on my own life/blessing, the lives and needs of others are primarily disregarded. If I disregard myself, others receive what otherwise would have been mine. Since my Father promises to care for me, I can give to others what He gives to me and trust His continual care for my needs. We all benefit greatly from our Father’s “other-focus” and His Spirit in us is always seeking an outlet…

The pervasive (it’s in every church/denomination) health and wealth movement of today has missed our Father’s heart. Jesus emphasized that we are conduits, blessed to be a blessing. He knew (and communicated repeatedly) that abundant life consists of possessing nothing and blessing others abundantly. To focus on one’s own happiness/“blessing” is to miss Jesus, while to empty oneself of personal ambition and to focus on benefitting others is to become full. This is a kingdom paradox that remains hidden in our superficial church age, often characterized by the pursuit of “personal” fulfillment and “healing”.

It seems that the only time I hear someone speak positively of sacrifice (a four letter word these days) is in relation to how good, or how much satisfaction, the one making the sacrifice will feel. When we first left for cross-cultural work among the “poor”, I can’t tell you how many people said to us, “I hope you find fulfillment” or “I hope you find what you are looking for”, because this is the mindset of our American culture (and church). Our journey over the years has confused many who have not embraced Jesus’ emphasis for His people (which was His own motive): go and give your abilities/energy/life for the sake of others, for the sake of others, for the sake of others… He left His home and gave His life to meeting the needs of others…

The emphasis in the church today is so often about my salvation, my fulfillment, my joy, my faith, my health, my peace, my ministry, my doctrine, my achievement, my, my, my…, while the Kingdom emphasis has always been… “they”/“their”. Like Jesus, we are to live for their salvation, for their healing, for their peace, that their joy may be complete, that they may be one, that they may know Him… they/their…

Superficiality (emphasis on the seen and on what money can buy), arrogance (the humble are always seeking/learning; the arrogant always “know”) and distraction (our attention diverted by the bombardment of the superficial and temporary) will define this modern age. That we are a pornographic culture is evident in that in so many ways we would rather experience (and purchase) artificial and immediate gratification, than pursue (over time) the beauty of the deeper, unseen relational fruit of Kingdom life. Are you and I a product of our age/culture or set apart?

In the west we make decisions based on our emotions and what we perceive will bring us pleasure (make us happy). This cultural phenomenon is (and always has been) found only among the extremely wealthy. On our journey, we’ve been able to see first-hand that the poorer cultures don’t have this liberty, as they must do (regardless of the resulting emotions) what is necessary (for themselves and the community) or they won’t survive. Expectations from life are minimal and desires beyond the necessary are not considered relevant. Only in extreme prosperity can one consider “happiness”, or the pursuit of the same, as relevant to life. In all cultures since the flood (until very recently, historically), working (hard) for needs has been the priority, rather than even considering “wants”. “Happiness” in the west consists of an accumulation of wants/desires, as no one would be “happy” with having only their needs met. Contentment (different than happiness) in rural Angola is found in many who have nothing more than their basic needs of very simple food (same meal -grits- twice/day), water, clothing (debatably necessary, depending on the tribe) and shelter (a roof under which to sleep in the rain and to store dried goods).

The pursuits of personal happiness and prosperity necessitate very different decisions than those made so that everyone in the community (or world) has their needs met.

This world lacks no resources (even for six billion people), but the hoarding of resources by those chasing “happiness” is the primary cause of global poverty (lack of basic needs), and always has been. It has been my observation over years that desire for, or pursuit of, anything more than our needs promotes ill health over the long-term, even as it gives short-term pleasure (like overeating, which we now know is as chronically unhealthy as under-eating). Prosperity promises much and yields fatigue, frustration, anxiety and emptiness. There is an epidemic of anxiety and depression among those living in the wealthiest cultures in history, where the pursuit of happiness is the cultural norm.

Personal, community and global health would be realized if we disregarded, rather than pursued, desires beyond our basic needs.

The age-old struggle to see people as distinctly beautiful, whole “persons” rather than as objects has become more profound as we see even ourselves as comparable commodities rather than as uniquely and purposefully gifted creations. Becoming “comparably better” has replaced embracing and valuing “uniquely beautiful”. Realizing and valuing the uniqueness of each person eliminates comparison, while seeing people as objects invites comparison. Today, everything, including people and churches, are analyzed by comparison.

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