A few weeks ago I and a friend from Africa had occasion to get a ride with a friend from Europe. The car was fairly quiet- I was in the back seat, my two friends were in the front. We drove by a gas station, and I groaned inwardly to see the price had been hiked up again, trying to remember if I had filled my car yet.
Before I even had time to remember, my European friend glanced at the price and commented "Wow, gas is so cheap here in America! That must be why American's drive such big cars like this one." (please note: we were in a Civic- not exactly the most gi-normous car ever). To which my African friend agreed "Oh yes, I think they can afford such big cars because the gas prices are so low."
Well,this conversation went on for a minute or two before I ventured "So... how much is gas where you guys come from?" My European friend said that it converted to roughly... are you ready for this? $8 a gallon!!! My other friend said he hadn't been home in a while, but the last time he was there it converted to about $5 or $6 a gallon!
All of the sudden the latest 10 cent hike at the pump didn't seem so bad. And although, as my oh so practical neighbor pointed out when I told her this story, a 30% jump in gas prices is depressing no matter where the starting price was, somehow I still feel better when I drive past a pump and the number right after the dollar sign isn't 8.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Five Bibles and a Blank Page
What if you didn't have a Bible?
Today in Animism class (helps us understand the thinking of people who believe in manipulating spirits/forces in their surrounding nature for survival), Mr. Risse asked us what we would do if, right after we finished taking them through the Bible (laying out the Foundation about who God is and what He's like and why we need a Savior etc) the new believers come to you and ask about a terrible dream they've had (dreams are really significant in a lot of Animistic cultures). What do you do?
A couple of passages popped into my mind about who God is and how He is stronger, good and sovereign- from 1 Timothy, something from Ephesians, and I think the other one was from Hebrews.
And then I realized. Oh wait. They don't have a Bible.
It does still come back to who God is, and they've heard His message so they know what He's like, and the Holy Spirit can be teaching these new believers anyway. But wow. No Bible. What would you do? The Bible is so full of .... wisdom, encouragement, reminders, teaching about what God is like.... no Bible at all? I just counted- I have FIVE Bibles in my room- just in my room. That's not counting New Testaments, the programs on my computer or the bazillion more I can access online.
I'm not sure why it hit me so hard today but it really did. No Bible?
What would I do without a Bible?
What would you do without a Bible?
Today in Animism class (helps us understand the thinking of people who believe in manipulating spirits/forces in their surrounding nature for survival), Mr. Risse asked us what we would do if, right after we finished taking them through the Bible (laying out the Foundation about who God is and what He's like and why we need a Savior etc) the new believers come to you and ask about a terrible dream they've had (dreams are really significant in a lot of Animistic cultures). What do you do?
A couple of passages popped into my mind about who God is and how He is stronger, good and sovereign- from 1 Timothy, something from Ephesians, and I think the other one was from Hebrews.
And then I realized. Oh wait. They don't have a Bible.
It does still come back to who God is, and they've heard His message so they know what He's like, and the Holy Spirit can be teaching these new believers anyway. But wow. No Bible. What would you do? The Bible is so full of .... wisdom, encouragement, reminders, teaching about what God is like.... no Bible at all? I just counted- I have FIVE Bibles in my room- just in my room. That's not counting New Testaments, the programs on my computer or the bazillion more I can access online.
I'm not sure why it hit me so hard today but it really did. No Bible?
What would I do without a Bible?
What would you do without a Bible?
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