Hey guys, finally my second blog is being written, I am so sorry that it took so long. There was a lot to process, a ton of conviction and heart change but here it is and I hope you enjoy it.
I have been erasing, restarting, slamming my laptop shut, getting frustrated and annoyed about this blog because I cannot quite figure out how to approach this topic. So, finally, I am going to quit humming and hawing over it and just go.
Before I get into this though, I want two say two things.
** I am not generalizing the culture or people of Belize and I am not generalizing the culture of America. I am primarily speaking and making an observation of both of the communities that I have lived in.**
Belize was my first stop on the World Race and it was a very foundational month for me. I worked alongside three ministries on a regular basis and learned a lot from all of them but at the end of the day, the take away boiled down to one thing: 18 inches.
“LOL, what does that even mean?”
Thanks for asking my guy, I’ll jump right into it.
As I got to know my ministry partners, I asked them questions about the people in their communities, how they are reaching them and how I could help. They all said that the best way I could help them was to live out my relationship with The Lord and to talk about it. (Yo, this sounds easy but like, it’s not LOL. It was actually kind of frustrating because this is not a new thing in my faith. Also, I don’t know what kind of answer I was expecting so…)
I’ve been mulling over a question that I asked people that I met, about their faith and the answers that they responded with. The question is: “What is your favorite thing about Jesus and why?”
The first part of this question was easy for the youth of the community to answer but second part was difficult. For some of the adults I talked to, it was like I just asked them to solve an algorithm and they looked at me sideways. Unfortunately, I know that if I asked this same question to some people back home, I would get the same results.
The two answers received in response, were either scriptural or silence. The youth who have read and memorized scripture would respond to the first part of the question with, John 3:16, Philippians 4:13 or Jeremiah 29:11 and talk about surface level faith, which is expected. When I asked why John 3:16 and the like, was their favorite thing about Jesus, they didn’t understand what I meant. Adults who were asked stood silent (this was the majority) or said, “I don’t know” or “No, one has ever asked me that before.” Of course I expected more from the adults who were teaching the youth about Jesus to have a more profound answer, but was disappointed. However, I know that adults are also on the same journey as kids are when it comes to building their relationship with Jesus. Then, I asked myself the question and I humbly admit that I was able to answer it but, if someone would have asked me this a year or two ago, I would be in the same place as everyone else I asked. (If you want to know my answer to this question then, beep my line via email or iMessage)
This is where the whole 18 inches jazz comes in. Statistically, 86% of Belizeans profess Christianity and 77.3% of Americans professes Christianity. On the flip 28.9% of Americans are Evangelicals and 18.8% of Belizeans are Evangelicals. Now the difference between an Evangelical and Professing Christian is 18 inches. You see, there are approximately 18 inches between your head and you heart. Just because you know about something in your head doesn’t mean that the information makes it to your heart and in this case, just because you have met Jesus doesn’t mean that you know Him. In learning and debriefing the whole concept of 18 inches, I have been challenged to make sure that God’s word makes it from my head to my heart, so that I can live that out my faith in a way that is true and believable to the people that I encounter on the World Race. What separates you, me and the people in Belize, from relationship with Him is just 18 inches.
Month One on the field I was reminded and re-taught that there is more to the World Race than sharing Jesus with people, I have to choose to live out my faith, make it my mission to be an example because it’s obvious that people are impacted by actions.
So, I am going to close this blog with a quote from my favorite Pastor, Derik Hines and hope that you allow it flow the 18 inches from your head to your heart. Thanks for reading!
“Now as you and I go, not by your power and not by my power but by His power and for His glory; Live like Jesus and Love like Jesus. Share His message everywhere you go because when you and I do that it brings Life to our friends, to our family, to our neighbors and to our world, amen?”
I love that God is giving you even more heart knowledge, and I pray that as you encounter people all over the world that they would receive this too. Thanks for being bold and loving deeply!
“Thanks for asking my guy, I’ll jump right into it.” Goodness you crack me up!
This was beautiful though, I love how you approached this and how you are growing in your faith and in your walk with the Lord. Even just sitting down and having conversations with you about what stood out to us in a verse or different revelations that God has been showing us goes to show that you truly are taking it the full 18 inches. I love how you are eager to learn more about who God is, understand the why behind verses, and really have an understanding of what they mean. I love walking along side you on this journey and I have seen incredible growth in you! This has been a good reminder to close the gap between my head and my heart! Thank you for sharing!