One big thing that God seems to be teaching me is about perspective. I'm not Mr. Webster or anything, but I would define perspective as the way you see things, or the viewpoint from which you observe a situation.
Work in Hungary is hard. It's very easy to get down, to take the perspective of negative futility. Even I have been guilty of this every so often. But is perspective something that is thrust upon us, or do we get to decide how we look upon a situation?
Albert Einstein was walking once when it started to rain. Taking his hat off of his head and tucking it under his jacket, he walked through the rain, soaking his hair. Someone commented to him incredulously, why would you take off your hat when it's raining, to which he replied that his hair would dry more quickly than his hat. He had a different perspective.
I'm a goal oriented person, and I like to achieve things. I like checking off tasks or feeling that I'm getting things done. Somedays here do not lend themselves to this kind of operating style. Recently during one of these tasks I got to spend some time with a friend that yielded important conversation. As I look back now, I can see that the most important part of that task wasn't the end result, but rather the conversation that came in the process. If I took the perspective that accomplishing my task was what made the moment worthwhile, I would have totally written off a tremendous opportunity to be with a friend.
Tonight my team the Indianapolis Colts lost to the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl. It's tempting to look at the score and be devastated. I'm saddened, and I know that tonight there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in Indianapolis. But as I really contemplate this evening, I guess I'm deciding from what perspective I wish to view this night.
I honestly thought that I would be upset tonight. I joked with people that if the Colts lost, they should give me a week to mourn the loss. But honestly, while I would have preferred the Colts to win, it was truly a GAME. I think about this night, and I realize what tonight was really about for me.
Tonight wasn't about watching a football game. Tonight was about quality time with 9 Hungarians that I am proud to consider friends. Tonight was about fellowship, food, fun, and yes, some football. Tonight wasn't our ministry night. Friday night is ministry night, tonight was an impromptu party, with people making cookies, Chick-fil-a nuggets, drinking soda and energy drinks, laughing, telling jokes, making fun of cheerleaders, and Super Bowl commercials. While the score of the game wasn't what I was hoping for, tonight was what I needed. Tonight, my soul was ministered to, even in the midst of a Colts Super Bowl loss.
Part of dealing with homesickness I think it when you finally can get perspective. You miss your friends at home, but when you realize that you feel completely comfortable with the person next to you. That you enjoy and trust them, and that they truly enjoy and trust you. When you find yourself in authentic community, and while it appears so different than home, on a deeper level, it ministers to your soul. This is what I felt tonight.
I guess my goal tonight was to watch the Colts win a Super Bowl. That didn't happen. But in the process I found out that it wasn't nearly as important to me as enjoying the people God has brought into our lives.
For me it was just another sign that we're fitting in. It was another sign that we're making the transition from homesick missionary, to perhaps one of the gang. That's where I want to be. The Colts will win and lose games, and hopefully the will do more of the first, but at the end of the day, I must keep things in perspective. I'm starting to really like the view from here.
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