Tuesday, March 25, 2008

This is reality

So today I read alot of things that got me thinking.

First my wonderful friend Jess, sent me a link to this website http://www.cmfile.com/. This website bascially lists all the Universities, Colleges and Vocational Institutes all around that world that are unreached and which ones are priority. My jaw dropped when I checked out this site. If I had any doubts about being a missionary before, this email just confirmed it. I am praying God will send me anywhere (dangerous prayer I know, lol).

For example France has 86 level one Universitites (meaning it's a university with 4-year curriculum and has significant influence nationwide). Nine of those Universities are top priority campuses (meaning they will have a huge impact) and none of those 9 have Campus Ministries. So sad.

Then I was doing some reading for my tutorial and it was on shame and how Australians should be ashamed of how they treated Indigenous peoples because their nation will then be portrayed as one who "means well". Shame for the wrong reasons. People are now expected to be shameful whether or not they feel it, because it is the right thing to do.

Then I got thinking, people don't have to live up to these "expectations" if that's what you want to call them. There is freedom in Christ. Here we are thinking oh my goodness we are advancing in technology and we are reconciling ourselves with those we or our forefathers offended, but are we really? Are we doing it out of the sincerity of our hearts? Or are we doing it because it's what society says is the right thing to do? Wouldn't you love to live a life that is free from the expectations of society and experience true forgiveness?

The more and more I read and think, the more and more Jesus shows me, He is the only way.

Just to clarify here, I am not in any way saying that people should feel no shame for how they treat others. I strongly believe that if you have treated someone poorly that shouldn't sit well with you until you deal with it. What I am saying is that I don't think people or nations should pride themselves in their shame.

2 comments:

Jess Versteeg said...

your welcome for the link. also, did oyu know that Canada moved down from holding the #1 position (to #3 or #4) in best places to live in the world because of our poor treatment of aboriginal people -- we have "third world" like conditions even here. we should be ashamed.

Unknown said...

Wow, I did not know this. The article I was reading was moreless discussing how certain nations were taking pride in their shame. I do agree we should be ashamed for treating people poorly, but for a nation to pride itself in shame, I do not agree with.