These Bruises Make For Better Conversation

Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11

As I started my car in the sub-zero temperatures of Tuesday morning, I contemplated this new adventure.  I was finally heading out to Benson to volunteer with victims of human/sex trafficking at the Heartland Girls Ranch.

My sister-in-law, who has a criminal justice background, gave me a few tips and pointers over the weekend, so I felt both prepared and unprepared at the same time.  I felt prepared because she had given me some good advice, but unprepared because she pointed out things that I hadn’t even considered. 

As I backed out of the garage, I started listening to the song on the radio.  I usually listen to only one station (KLOVE), and I never listen to country music, but for whatever reason, the song, “Bruises,” by Train was flowing through the speakers.  Here are the words that struck me:

“These bruises make for better conversation
Loses the vibe that separates
It's good to let you in again
You're not alone in how you've been
Everybody loses, we all got bruises
We all got bruises

I would love to fix it all for you
I would love to fix you too
Please don't fix a thing whatever you do

These bruises make for better conversation
Loses the vibe that separates
It's good to know you've got a friend
That you remember now and then
Everybody loses.”

I smiled to myself and said, “Ok, God, I get it.”  This was obviously the heart and attitude God wanted me to have as I started this new venture. 

When my family and I went to Ecuador in 2011, one of our trainers explained that we were not to go to Ecuador with the attitude of wanting to “fix” them or “make life better.”  As the trainer explained, they like their lives just the way they are; the Ecuadorians do not think of themselves as “poor” or “needy.” Our job was to hang out and come alongside them in their ministry.

Similarly, it seems as though God was telling me to just go to the ranch and hang out.  All people just want to know that someone cares, and that’s where I come in.  It’s not my job to “fix” anybody.  That’s His job and His concern.  

All right, God.  This still doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but I am heading west.

This recollection came to mind this morning as I was reading Hebrews 11.  Even though I have read this passage several times before, it felt as though I was reading it for the first time.  Do you ever have that experience?

In both verses 13 and 39, it states that “these [the faithful described in the chapter] were all commended for the faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.”

In other words, people like Noah, Abraham, Rahab, etc, never saw the fruits of their labors; they just moved in faith anyway because they believed in the One who had made the promise and subsequent request of them.

We all have a motivation for everything we do.  We do it because we get something out of it, or we do it because we feel obligated to do it (which, it could be argued, still results in us getting something out of it).

I would guess that most of our motivations are selfish.  For example, we go to work to get a paycheck.  We shop, go out to eat, sew, exercise, etc, because we ultimately want to. Somehow, some way, we get something out of the endeavor.  It’s always about what we want.

While there may be a variety of motivations involved, compulsory obligations usually make us angry and resentful.  When I feel as though I have to do something, I get ornery because it technically is not what I want.  For example, in this day and age, we are all fiercely protective of our time. Thus, when parents, kids, bosses, etc, want to impinge on those precious moments, let be honest; we often get downright obstinate.

Hebrews 11:1, 6 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. . .And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Faith seems to be a perfect (meaning, none of the negativity) marriage of the two motivations.  When I do/move/act, God has called me to do it, and His requests are compulsory.  Obviously, we have the choice to follow that compulsion or not, but if, when, and BECAUSE God is my priority, I willingly submit to Him EVEN IF THERE IS NO GUARANTEE I WILL SEE THE END RESULT.  If and when I move in faith, I don’t have to see the end result because I trust God and know, without a shadow of a doubt, that He has it all under control.

I am happy to report that Tuesday’s visit went well.  It was completely uneventful as we just played games and hung out.  There were no expectations and no agenda – at least, not on my part.  There is only One who has an agenda, and I will continue to do my best to follow His lead.