In years long ago, our pastor made note to say some things about those who were the tattooed, those with pierced earrings, and etc. Now, some can complain about those things, and it is because they were not raised up with even a thought towards to putting a ring in the nose. I hated shots as a child. Today, I do not mind needles like for drawing blood as it has been a process to learn sometimes you have to have that shot for something or find out how the blood is doing, right? So some growth has been established in me in the regard to needles.
But in welcoming the strange, what does that look like?
And in some study, I reflect back on those like Jonah, John the Baptist and of course Elijah.
Welcoming the stranger to your meeting with God should be one where all experience God and His love. Our getting
to know the stranger may mean we might need to know something of their culture, something of their background, ask the Lord in prayer how we might pray for them, and to pray how to embrace them when they come "to visit that first time." In meeting the new person, will we be the honest, have the pleasant smile, speak clearly, and be a light of love? Will we be the free to be and look like Jesus to them? Will our eyes be lifted to glorify God or will our eyes be set on our agendas? Or will our thoughts be on "how many colors do they have in that one tattoo"? In that style and loving way of hospitality, will we be a part of God's plan to bring these people joy and let them know they are welcome to abide with us in Jesus? In the hearing of our God's heartbeat, we will move closer, not only to God and His plan, but also into that of welcoming the stranger!
Why do I say this? Let's look at Jonah. He was sent by God to Nineveh. He was to give them the "MESSAGE" to repent. He was the most reluctant to go and did everything possible to run the other direction.
Jonah 1:1-17
1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me." 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish." 7 And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, "Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?" 9 And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."
10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "Why have you done this?" For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?"--for the sea was growing more tempestuous. 12 And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me." 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, "We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man's life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You." 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. NKJV
Yes he died! He was swallowed by a great fish.
And in the scripture verses of Jonah 2:5-6
5 "I sank beneath the waves, and death was very near. The waters closed above me; the seaweed wrapped itself around my head. 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains that rise from off the ocean floor. I was locked out of life and imprisoned in the land of death. But, O Lord my God, you have snatched me from the yawning jaws of death!
TLB
Jonah 2:10
10 So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. NKJV
When God really wants us to do something for Him, He will change some things so we come full circle to see Him and His plan for "others".
He was made alive again and probably had a lot to say, but foremost was the "message".
So by first of chapter three, he preached salvation. This man who died in the belly of probably a whale came out stinking like dead and rotted fish that had not been totally digested, and now covered in seaweed........preached the glad tidings. But he still held attitude against Nineveh. He became very angry. And he wanted to die. Jonah left the city, and camped outside. In Jonah 4:5 we read of his shelter and the Lord had a plant to grow where Jonah was at. But verse 7 tells us that a worm was prepared to take out the fine plant. Then one of those nasty, strong east winds blew and of course wiped out that plant.
In verse 9 of chapter 3 God speaks to Jonah. "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said to God......."It is right for me to be angry, even to death!"
BUT THE LORD; "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, not made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left-----and much livestock?"
God had chosen Jonah to go to the people. This city was a metropolis of the Assyrian monarchy. Although not as big as some cities today, it still had the size of some 48 miles across the great city. It was a city known to be heathen, and without knowledge and the worship of God. As time passed, this city's wickedness had come up to God. The alarm was to be sounded and the call went to Jonah!
Interesting that Jonah refused. He did not want to obey God. He objected because of the cruelty the people of Nineveh were known for and that was "they were terrorists"! They terrorized other people and other lands. Destruction was on the way to Nineveh and God wanted the people to be warned that there was the opportunity to "repent".
So the voice sent by God, Jonah, stunk of dead fish vomit. Yeah, that was a strange thing indeed!
ahh.......welcoming the STRANGE!
THEN we look into see John the Baptist, one clothed in camel hair......
Matthew 3:4-12
4 And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
NKJV
Yes, the man was one of humility. He denied his own "me, myself and I" agendas to speak only of the one to come. He prepared the way for Jesus. He was characterized as a man of courage and of self-denial.He would not compromise!
He would be one who was probably talked about a lot!
"Well, you know that John.......he always wants to be alone" or "John is always yelling, and he really seems to have some issues with those Pharisees!"
He would be the one criticized of his clothing, and his time alone in the wilderness. He would be one others would complain about. He had a force that was "godly" and represented the importance of that which was to come through Jesus, the Messiah! Prepare you the way of the Lord.
What would we say about a John the Baptist today? What about those who dress differently, act differently, that come to a service or those who minster the Word of God there? Are we the quick to judge them? God has either called them to preach or He has destined them to meet up with you and me in the church setting, minister the Word of God, have a time of prayer and experience the fullness of God together.
Then I think of Elijah. Did some think him strange? Yes!
He was the prophet who served God. Even as today, the prophet is one who encourages the church goers to not only be transformed by the Word week in and week out, but also to not settle with the agenda, rule makers, and same 'ole thing. As the prophet, Elijah spoke and did things that was the markings of a prophet of God Himself. He was one sent to bring the comfortable out and awaken them. Elijah brought the fire wherever he went and to whoever he had to speak to in those days of his life. And he certainly brought the "pain", did he not? He did not compromise, but gave truth. He was confident in knowing his God.
Yes, it was about "fire".
Not about the strange fire that man can do to initiate his own plan in the earth. But the fire that falls from heaven is that which ignites a town to become the place where the word of God is given, and prayers are answered. It is a place of the revival where people, of all colors, all ethnic backgrounds come together by the power of the Holy Spirit and do the unusual. It is the place where people meet to see others saved, to bless God loudly and see people become responsible for what is their responsibilities where they live, work and play.
Fire represents the holiness of God and is the place found at the altar built by the one who seeks to glorify God. It is that place where one is subjected to the discipline of knowing God and His truth that is spiritual. What we do for God is not by natural materials, but by the Spirit of the Living God! We are to be the obedient and welcome the strange into our lives. The strange is that which is holy unto God for all people are created by Him and for Him. The strange is that which is NOT done by rigorous schedules, an implied and strict code of rules to get to His presence. It is allowing our hearts to draw near to Him in worship and in truth. And it is the place where we will see what those did in the days of Elijah, the days of John the Baptist, and of Jesus Himself. It is where we are measured to that which Jesus established when we are truly disciplined in Him and by Him. Sometimes there is going to be some "pain". And will be that which may look different and sound somewhat different than us.
If they come with purple hair and camel hair clothes, will we welcome them?
Noah built a boat that took how many years (decades) and when he finished he loaded some animals of nature to take along with him. And he was the obedient! For whatever we think we might have heard about someone, some race, some culture, we need to seek God and His fire to see what is our responsibility to those coming, the teacher, the prophet, the guest with tattoos and a nose ring as well. Lord, what can we pray today that will help us move with the motion of God that is teaching us, growing us up into His image and to help us welcome the strange when it is upon us. For everyone needs Jesus and we all need to obey the Lord's leading! Amen.
Today ask God what strategy you will need in that business meeting with others who do exactly as you do but do not have Jesus. What truth can you do business in and still have that which others will notice? Ask God to direct you through His Word and into His heart how others can be touched by love from God that may seem "the different", the unusual. Ask the Father to show how your speaking to others will spark a fire in them to come out of the comfort zone and embrace the heat and fire of a new life in adventures for God.
Father, thank You for the strange. We have seen them in such creatures of the sea. I am in awe of the black shark that is giving off a fluorescent glow in the dark deep waters of the sea. I thought there were only white sharks! Now that is lighting the dark in a new way.
Show us Lord how to touch those with the simple style You made us to be in Your image. Show us what growing we might need in some area we have overlooked and help us embrace that which will bring change in how we reach others for Jesus, in work, in church meetings, on the school ground or in the classrooms and in business meetings.
For Jonah surely captured those he ministered to with seaweed stuck to his clothes and with that dry sticky smell of vomit. Elijah brought others who were conforming to the worlds ideas and idolatry, but what can we bring to the table today that will bring people back around to seeing Jesus. For You LORD have called us in righteousness and You will take hold of our hand. It is You Who keeps us and makes us to be a covenant people and light for the Gentiles to open blind eyes and to set captives free from prison and to release those from the dungeon who sit in darkness.(Isaiah 42:6-7)
We ask in Jesus name. May You be blessed today Lord and May YOUR light shine through us today to the stranger. Amen.
