If we want to pursue wisdom for our life and work we must reach beyond the circles we normally move in to find people who have the same questions we do, but whose life experiences are different than ours. This past week I’ve had the extraordinary privilege of guiding a diverse international group of leaders into a learning community, exploring the ways we can make an impact in our families, our churches, and our communities today.
The fifteen guests for this year’s session of The International Center sponsored by Elmbrook Church come from Malaysia, Nepal, India, Iran, Paraguay, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Brazil, Belize, and Cuba. Fifty years ago this week the Cuban Missile Crisis was unfolding–and now we have with us three pastors from Cuba.
They are men and women whose work includes pastoring, education, evangelism, community development, justice ministry, translation, media, and outreach to political leaders. We have explored what it means to have a deep influence–a spiritual influence–in all of these spheres.
The word “dignity” comes up all the time. The good news of Jesus Christ is that God does not intend to leave the human race corrupted, broken, and destructive. In the beginning God created the man and the woman in his own image. Salvation means we are restored to that honor–that dignity–by the power of God.
So a doctor from India tries to lessen the abortion of female fetuses, a pastor from Paraguay does values education for leaders of parliament, a church leader from Brazil works to improve social structures in a major city, an Iranian leader produces video, audio, and print resources that can spread within his native country, a woman from Vietnam translates Christian literature that will be cherished by the few who receive it, a pastor from Nepal supports the rapidly spreading Christian movement in a kingdom dominated by the Himalayas and Hinduism. And so much more.
Halfway through this three-week session we pause to ask what we are learning. One major theme is coming through strongly: the power of really great ideas and ideals that emerge when we use God’s gifts of imagination, inspiration, collaboration, and vision.
The best spiritual influence does not come from individual genius or popularity or domination. The Holy Spirit has spread gifts widely. We all have partial ideas just waiting to meet and join the partial ideas that other people have–maybe people who live on the other side of the world.
It is in the intersection of those ideas, at the core of human nature and need, that we discover the wisdom that can really change us.
“The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).
What do you think?