I haven’t driven a car for 8 months. Our apartment does not have central air conditioning or a furnace. Being in a crowded vickram seems normal to me. I haven’t eaten steak for 8 mo. Darting in-between cars, auto rickshaws, and motorcycles to cross the street is daily life. As men relieve themselves on the side of the street I just ignore them and turn my head like everyone else passing by. Life here is normal. Cows in the middle of the street are normal. Cooking on a gas stove is normal. Eating rice, only chicken, and MANY vegetables every day is normal. What I thought was spicy has now been brought to a new level! I didn’t quite know what to expect when I came, but I knew I would adjust to the culture.
As I think about how life has changed so much in 8 months, it’s a cross-cultural struggle over my heart. At least once a day I think about America. I mean it’s usually about my home or family and friends. I think about the peacefulness and beautiful sunrises and sunsets that are always visible from my farm. But the other day my heart really hurt as I saw the complete differences between these two cultures. I spent the morning with ladies in this culture who don’t have much. They live a very simple life and have just enough to get by. Then I went to the mall and bought a khurta that I will use often but don’t need. Then we went to a movie theater to see the new X-Man. My heart hurt, because I had just lived in both extremes during the day. I spent the morning with people who live very simply and don’t have much, then I went and lived like I have plenty. Yes I think it is okay to treat yourself. Yes it is okay to buy a shirt you don’t need every once in a while. Yes it’s okay to go to the movies. No I don’t do this every day. But my heart hurt.
Seeing both extremes in a culture in the same day and I just wondered, what does this mean for me? I see the people who are just getting by and can’t ignore their struggles in life. Maybe it means I give up having some luxuries in my life. Not because I have to, but in order to find some middle ground in my heart. So I decided that I’m not going to buy as many clothes this next month. I’m going to give some of my money to people who are in need. I’m going to pray for people that I meet and give them the best thing that I can: Jesus. Truthfully when I take a step back, I remember that it’s not about material items or finances. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. What matters is what are we doing with our most prized possession? What do we consider our most prized possession? If it’s Jesus we should be like Peter in Acts 3. He gives a crippled man the best thing that he has to give. He gives healing in the name of Jesus. How powerful that is! The crippled man was expecting money, but Peter gives him so much more.
*It took me a while to write this post. I wanted to make sure that my intentions were clear and hope that they are. I’ve learned and seen how to live with plenty and I’ve learned and seen how to live with little. I know that I could live in both circumstances. I’m not saying that living one way or the other is bad. I’m just expressing that it was difficult on that day for me to see me in both ends of the spectrum. I believe that we all have to make decisions in our life about how we’re going to live, and how we’re going to use everything the Lord has given us or not given us for His glory and kingdom. And that process can be very hard.