God's Classroom

“I can't stand your religious meetings.
   I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
   your pretentious slogans and goals.
I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes,
   your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
   When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
   I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
   That's what I want. That's all I want.”

-          Amos 5:21-24 (Message Bible)

It’s been 7 months and one week since I left the United States to travel 9,000 miles to Africa to serve as a missionary. I had my thoughts and even some expectations but I never expected what God actually had for me. I felt like as soon as I stepped off that airplane and stepped on that hot dry ground I actually stepped into a classroom. But this wasn’t just an ordinary classroom neither was the teacher an ordinary teacher I felt as if I stepped into “God’s Classroom”.  Just like any other classroom this classroom has been full of teaching, assignments, and even tests. 

I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials, read the articles, or heard someone speak of the situation Africa has been in.  The crazy thing is today, you don’t have to travel to know the need that rests in our World. However traveling does make it all more personal and real. After being in Africa for a period of time the statistics now have a name and a face (and that changes everything). A teacher tends to use objects in his classroom to teach. Such as charts that might be on a wall, a chalkboard, or maybe even a PowerPoint Presentation. When you step into God’s Classroom you’ll find that he begins to teach with all that surrounds you.  

Africa is a land that is drowning in an ocean of pain, disease, poverty, and injustice. There has been times I’ve gotten so angry at God because I knew that God in his infinite power could very well do something about all the pain. God began to teach me about his heart and his sovereignty. These are tough lessons to undergo but most of what you learn in God’s classroom is tough and difficult. That’s why few ever choose to step into His classroom.  

“Sometimes I would like to ask God why

He allows poverty, famine, and injustice

 in the world when he could do something

about it... but I'm afraid he might ask me

the same question.”

                                                                  -Anonymous

I hope you’ve read or least heard of the scripture of the sheep and the goats (if you haven’t go read it Matt 25:31-46). We can see in this passage that God values “the least of these” not only does he value them but he commands his followers to care for them.  If we aren’t careful we can get caught up in all the routines and tradition of Christianity and miss the complete heart of God. When we don’t have a daily relationship with God we can easily miss His heart and turn into a religious Pharisee.  I love how the president of World Vision Richard Sterns interrupted Matthew 25:42-43 for our modern day:  

‎"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed.

I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water.

I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported.

I needed clothes, but you wanted more clothes.

I was sick, and you pointed out behaviors that led to my sickness.

I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved.”

 

Everyday in Africa isn’t the same but the message I’m learning is. That message is God loves the poor, the oppressed , the needy, and the sick. Everyday I can feel Him molding my heart and depositing more of His heart in mine.  I still have so much to learn, I don’t have it all together I doubt I ever will. I pray that everyday I will remain teachable and God will continue to create a heart in me that looks like his. . .