all AND nothing

MTI snippets

Here's a little treasure for today:

First of all, let’s take a look at “my world”.  This is where everything seems normal, natural, right, and good.  It is a fantastically comfortable place to be, I know the right script to read at the right time and I fit in well. 

Now let’s peer into “their world”.  This world is different.  I don’t know the script here and I am uncomfortable.  Shoot, these crazies breathe water like it's air!  Everything seems abnormal, unnatural, wrong, and bad. 

Welcome to the definition of cross-cultural missions!  The funny thing is, “their world” can exist pretty close to “my world” before I even leave my country; I don’t know about you, but I live with a couple of “their worlds” right here in Ramsey, MN!  
The key to crossing a cultural difference of any size is taking on an attitude of learning instead of teaching, listening instead of telling, choosing to get into uncomfortable positions, and develop a childlike fascination with the other person’s way of seeing the world, for the sake of more effective communication and understanding.  

It’s totally not easy.  

In fact, sometimes the best I can do is to just sigh, “God, help!”  But when mistake after mistake and stupid question after very obvious stupid question brings about a sense of, “I’m finally starting to get this!” and “their world” becomes my new home, it’s totally worth it. 

The MTI battle cry goes something like this: 

If you’ve got to make a million mistakes before you figure this thing out, then get going!!  
(…but try to make 10-20 point mistakes.  Don’t blow all 1,000,000 at once.)

As Paul encouraged the Corinthians, let's do all things for the sake of the Gospel, and nothing that would hinder it!  

(1 Cor. 9:19-23)