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I once had a friend who told me that if I ever wanted to ‘understand’ the different cultures and peoples I felt called to embrace, then I must first learn to ‘stand under’ them. It was great advice. Especially for those of us who live in the West and in the U.S. in particular.
Once on a trip to Israel I was invited into the home of Fr. Elias Chacour, a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He was quick to point out that many of the Christians who come to his land do so with a mindset that says, “let me tell you how it is done; let me show you the way to Jesus and the appropriate expression of the way your life is to reflect his presence.”
Said Chacour, “Nothing returns to the East that is true, that did not first go out from the East to begin with. Americans would do well to remember that.”
In essence he was, in his own way, repeating the principle of my friend; “don’t come over here speaking, come to listen; don’t come to show us the way, come to enter into our ways, our traditions, our understandings – before you say anything, come and walk in our shoes.” Stand under, or risk never understanding much at all.
That, for me, is what the expression of a self-emptying life looks like. It looks like service. It looks like standing under that we might lift up, hearing and entering into a deeper sense of belonging and acceptance with those we most wish to serve.
A missional lifestyle to me looks like foregoing convincing that we might opt for the higher call of deep embrace
3 comments to “Standing Under”
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I have been taking classes in comparative religions this semester to better understand what others around the world believe. It has been interesting and enlightening. I agree with your friend. We must first enter the world of others so that we can see life from their perspective. Only then do we have the right to speak our views on the world to them, and only then with deep respect and observance of their culture.
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I whole heartedly agree. One of the most magnificant works of the Spirit in my life, has been liberating me from the prison of fundamentalism, and bringing me to a place where I am no longer exclusive, but inclusive. I have been reading the sacred scriptures from some of the main relgions. I can’t believe the similarities. The same vein of truth runs through all of them. I agree with Gandhi, it would be an act of compassion for each of us to become familiar with others religions.
Yep
(Deep thoughts from a friend)