After arriving on the coastal city of Casablanca (north Morocco), Jan and I were anxious to make it to the heart of the North African country. With signs and voices only offering Arabic, we navigated our way to the train station and three hours later we made it to the bustling city of Marrakech…the heart of Morocco.
Walking through the massive bazaar (the Las Vegas of farmer’s markets), I was expecting Indiana Jones and his sweet hat to walk up at any moment. Jan covered her head to fit in with the cultural norms and I just tried to temper my inner gringo. It was a totally different world than we were used to and we loved it.
After having a snake wrapped around my neck for a picture and eating some authentic lamb and couscous, we strolled the market. Immediately catching my eye was a little toy train that was running in a small circle. There were two cars to the train. On the first was Osama Bin Laden and on the one close behind was George W. Bush. Bush was toting a massive weapon on his shoulder, which pointed towards Osama. We immediately felt uncomfortable, intrigued and somewhat entertained. But this little toy was telling a powerful story of America’s perception and reputation.
So often America (both from a domestic and international perspective) becomes synonymous with Christian. To think America is to think Christian. Some would say this is a good thing…some would say the opposite.
This little train was a microcosm of a bigger narrative. Yes, it was a caricature, but the premise was hauntingly accurate.
Central to being a Christian is the acceptance of a vocation to follow Jesus. But certainly Jesus would not have been wielding a massive weapon on his shoulder chasing the bad guys. No, Jesus would have been wielding the Spirit as he sought the will of his father.
I think he asks us to do the same.
So that’s the good news. It’s not simply about Christians finding the right leader to represent us to the world…it’s about each one of us representing Jesus to the world. It is about fully stepping into the vocation we have been called into as followers of the King of the newly inaugurated Kingdom. Like Jesus, we are to mediate between God and humanity, while living out the values of the Kingdom.
A life marked by Jesus can redeem the negative perceptions (and realities!) that the world may have about Christianity.
Thanks for this, Jonny. Truly compelling.
I love the imagery of Jesus wielding the Spirit while following the will of the Father, pursuing people, even in their destructiveness,.
Jesus persistent pursuit….Great point and beautiful picture. I wonder how many of us are complicit with other types of “violence”(bitterness, consumption, selfishness, etc…) yet Jesus continues to step towards us while offering the peace of the Spirit.