Christmas, Others and River Trips
The prow of the boat (with its anchor rope) leads the way along the river
I recently returned from a river trip. I had the privilege of spending a few days traveling along the Xingu River and some of her tributaries. As I reflected during my visits with different people in some of the villages, there were a couple of thoughts that captured my attention.
First, these people where happy with our arrival in their communities (I was traveling with a team of Brazilians). Several people invited us to other villages and at a few of the homes where we stopped, there were sincere requests for us to return and share more of Christ in that place. One family traveled more than three hours by boat to the village where we would share the Gospel. Their obvious desire was to hear more of the Good News. The presence of the Spirit was evident in the simple meetings. It reminded me of the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4. The people in the village really wanted Jesus to stay longer. They understood in His presence that they were experiencing something completely new and completely renewing. I can see this come to life as I travel along the river.
The other thought that struck me was how Jesus was often working along the periphery of society, both in his relationships and in his selected geographic setting. He traveled through many of the small towns and villages in Israel and Samaria (Matt 9:35, Luke 17:11). So while his ministry climaxed in Jerusalem, much of his time was spent in rural areas. Jesus went out and that is the essence of mission – reaching out to others and making the Gospel accessible. It seems that Jesus was someone who was very much at home along the water’s edge, in the fields, and along the back roads. Is our message for the least and are we working to make the Gospel accessible to those who live off the beaten path?
The Christmas message is that Jesus came for others. And many of these “others” are people who are often outside of our comfort zone, both in a social and geographic context. It is wonderful that Jesus invites us into a relationship where we can be part of what God is doing, wherever we are. I am thankful to be part of that Christmas story in a way that continues to bless others.
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A river community that has electricity for about three hours each evening
The stars and moon reflect off the river
Sunrise ushers in another day of jungle life along the river