Missions: The forgotten ones

Photo: The indigenous people of Taiwan (masses slaughtered when the Chinese started coming onto Taiwan some 400 years ago).

This year, I’ve been attending the “Transform Missions” talk at Morling College on Tuesday lunch times. These are talks given by various missionaries about their work. I find the talks inspirational and it widens my perspectives about missions.

This week, we have Julie Reynolds (Apache ministry) from the Western Apache team of Pioneers speaking to us.

https://pioneers.org.au/

Her mission field is on a reserve for Native Americans in the Arizona desert. For more information about this reserve, please see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Apache_Indian_Reservation

http://www.wmat.nsn.us/

Ironically, the American Indians are very patriotic: there’s a higher ratio in the army than the rest of the Americans.

Julie observed that their culture is very different from the rest of the Americans. Most of the Anglo-Saxon Americans do not know that they exist. Furthermore, it is very unusual for Anglo-Saxon Americans to work in the mission field for these people. The people on Julie’s team are all in the retirement age and they really need new blood.

Life expectancy is 40s for males, 50s for females.

They have self-governing councils, which are often very corrupt. They created casinos, which made the situation worse.

The society is matriarchic: 2/3 men alcoholic. Most women have 6-8children, with 3-4 men responsible for it, and none of these men are willing to take up responsibility. Julie thinks what Australia is doing for its indigenous people is a bit better than what America is doing for its indigenous people.

The Apache churches tend to be tribal churches: one extended family, and outsiders are not welcome. There is also the tendency for the churches to be very legalistic or be brought astray by TV evangelists. A lot of the people there do not know about God’s grace. The Western Apache team had to spend the first few years building up relationship with the people and build up trust before they got invited to the churches there.

I suddenly remembered a song sung by Joshua Aaron featuring American Indians:

https://youtu.be/jpoBc-f4RIc

I don’t know what people think of when they hear the term “America”. Does American TV soap operas come into mind? Or Trump? “Make America great again”??

I think that when it comes to interceding for America, it is very important to intercede for the American Indians, the indigenous people of the land who are often forgotten by everyone!

doctor+missions+holistic care: A critical self-reflection for the first half of 2017

ii. Seeking first the kingdom and God’s righteousness, boldly and fearlessly proclaiming the Gospel (Matt 6:33, 10:26-33)

CABC-WR held the Perspectives Course on Thursday evenings in March. The classes cover a simplified overview of church history and emphasise the importance missions. It includes practical tasks on spreading the gospel and ways we can support missionaries. It was easy to apply: I was already supporting two missionaries financially and shared some personal testimonies when I caught up with friends. I think it is a good course for planting seeds of the Gospel in people’s hearts, but inadequate for discipleship. Furthermore, as John Wesley puts it, “the world is my parish.” Most of our time is spent in our workplace.[1] Research in Australia shows that the two most inappropriate places to discuss spirituality and religion are in shopping centres and community events. To me, this suggests that the workplace is where the “gold” is. People tend to be put off by strangers in public spaces, but are more likely to be receptive to people whom they trust. The workplace is one possible place to build such relationships. Boldly and fearlessly proclaiming the Gospel in the workplace is where the challenge lies. Many ministers are theologically trained but could not relate to practical problems people face at work. The church tends to divide life and work into sacred and secular compartments, with work done outside the church being seen as secular work. Those of us who are not in fulltime ministry can feel like we are living a double life, where we are disintegrating instead of integrating faith of work.[2]

The clinic I work in is extremely busy, so my time with each patient is short and task-orientated. In this context, I feel tested in my patience and gentleness, and must constantly remind myself to seek first the kingdom of God’s righteousness. God is the source of love. The power to transforms lives comes from Him. By myself, I can do nothing. Over the years, I tried my best to practice what Martin coins as “Holy Working”.[3] I found that as I gradually became more patient and gentle, I am proclaiming the Gospel through my actions, which is much more convincing. Research also shows that people living out authentic faith is the greatest attraction to further investigation religion.[4] I try to stick to Christian values. When people try to tempt me to do what is wrong (eg. produce a report that is different from my observation), I am firm in rejecting these. My clinical workplace has been helpful in challenging me and helping me grow.

iii. Demonstrating the characteristics and qualities of a servant (Mk10:35-45)

Rev Fu organised a Valentine’s day dinner for five church couples. There were only four people involved with the organisation and preparation of this event: Rev Fu, her husband, me, and another brother. This is very different from previous church events I had been involved with which had large busy teams where tasks were more divided up and felt more mechanical. This time, I served in ways I never done before, such thinking about how to set up and decorate the tables, helping with food preparation, and waitressing the couples. This is a more personalised approach to serving, which helps build closer relationships. Just like how buying a cake to give someone as a present feels different from making a cake for someone. Closer relationships help teamwork. Gospel leaders cannot be “lone rangers.” Even Jesus needed a team, however flawed the team members happened to be.[5]

Much of the condemnations of the Old Testament prophets revolve around a misuse of work, eg. Ezekiel34 condemned Israel’s leaders for their brutal treatment of the “sheep”. Leadership is about service, about shepherds who care for the sheep.[6] “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark9:35). Greenleaf believes “the great leader is seen as servant first.”[7] Leadership is about leaving your comfort zone and taking a risk to engage those around you.[8] For Greenleaf, serving does not mean one is a martyr or a slave, but one who consciously nurtures the mature growth of self, other people, institutions, and communities, the objective being to building a better, more caring society.[9] The servant-leader is committed to the growth of every individual within his or her institution.[10] It is the power to influence rather than the power to control.[11] Whilst I have assisted with ministry tasks, I do not have much experience in leadership. One of Rev Fu’s goals is for me to be able to lead a small group later on. I have to further develop skills to engage and express care for others, perhaps through pastoral visitations. For example, the skill of “attending”, which means relating to others with openness, attentiveness, and prayerfulness, bringing about the presence of the Holy Spirit.[12]

vi. Offering one’s body as a living sacrifice, being transformed by the renewing of the mind, using one’s gifts enthusiastically, never lacking in zeal, keeping one’s spiritual fervour, serving the Lord (Rom12:1-13)

Ultimately, self-sacrifice is the highest act of servanthood. “…unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John12:24). Jesus himself sets the best example, by creating around him a community of the marginalised such as the tax collectors, the poor, and social outcasts, then giving his life as a ransom for many on the cross.[13] I am still a far way from Jesus. After all, only Christ himself can live the Christian life, and he does this in us and through us (John 15:1-8; cf. 2Corinthians 2:14).[14] The first sacrifices I made were career related, becoming a GP so I do not have to do shift-work and can attend and serve in church every Sunday. Then I obeyed God’s calling to work in a place that do not seem to be too attractive financially. I further sacrificed my time and finance to study MDiv. I am leaving my comfort zone to try out a wider range of tasks so growth is happening and more spiritual gifts can be discovered. There is a human paradox: the more a person reaches out beyond herself, the more she is enriched and deepened, and the more she grows in likeness to God.[15]

For example, expanding my relational capacity by trying to speak to different people, as God has commanded us to “make disciples of all nations” and “love your neighbours as yourselves”. However, the thought of getting close to the homeless and drug addicts is still quite uncomfortable for me. I am still far from Jesus, who loves every single person. I do not like public speaking but am trying out the task of MC for Sunday service, so God can use me on the pulpit one day. Ultimately, being a living sacrifice is to live our whole life in God’s presence. So I am trying to develop the “spirituality of the presence”[16], beginning with daily Scriptural readings, spiritual reflection and continuous prayer, especially in my clinical workplace.[17] Yancy believes it is important to offer God your heart from time to time, even in the midst of chores, so it becomes a habit.[18] The parable of the talents (Luke19:12-27) illustrate the eschatological danger of not using our time and talents wisely.[19] I need a close fellowship with the Holy Spirit, which directs me and provides me with the power to cooperate with God so I can do God’s work.[20] Hopefully if I am obedient enough, my capacity to do God’s work will be increased so one day I will be willing to go to unreached people.

viii. Setting forth the truth plainly, preaching the Lord Jesus Christ, persevering under trials, fixing one’s eyes on what is unseen and eternal (2Cor4:1-18)

The notion that “bigger is better” makes it tempting for us to distort the Word of God to benefit ourselves or suit our audience[21], so we see an expansion in the size of our ministry. There is a temptation to perceive the pastor as an enterprising entrepreneur who only needs to adopt the latest marketing advice from the business schools.[22] However, we can see that Ezekiel’s calling is not to success but to faithfulness. Every aspect of the call remains under the sovereign control of God, especially the results, and apparent effectiveness is no proof of calling.^[23] This challenges the notion that “bigger is better.” The primary goal of one’s ministry is to bring glory to God by preaching and modelling the message he has been given^[24], no matter the consequences.^[25]

It is getting increasingly difficult to set forth the truth plainly these days. For instance, the legalisation of same sex marriage is raging in Taiwan. When I was on an educational exchange in Taiwan last year, most of the younger doctors were highly supportive of same sex marriage, and criticise Christian values on their social media. Although some people inquisitive about Christianity told me they cannot accept that a loving God makes people go to hell, I cannot sugar-coat on the essentials of faith.[26] Furthermore, people can be preaching the truth, but be unbalanced in their selection of topics, eg. Focusing on success and grace. I will try keeping a balance in my future preaching. In reality, people get stuck at points in their lives even though they know God had called them, ie. not in a position of influence and have no ability to change their environment, the movie “Silence” is an extreme example. Luckily I am not persecuted for my faith! Spiritually, we have to constantly remind ourselves that we are called not to success but to follow Christ, and that everything in this world will pass, but there is also an everlasting home to return to.

ix. Living by faith not by sight, making it one’s goal to please the Lord in view of his return (2Cor5:1-10)

We live in a fallen world and the impact of sin infiltrates all places, including the church. There is no such thing as a perfect church. Rather than seek to find or build a “perfect” church, we go where God is calling us. Adams observes that “you must love the congregation as it actually is now, not… five years from now. You must get to know the people and love them each and all as they actually are, not as the people you want them to become... Only after you have lived together in love can you move forward together in hope.”[27] This is a challenge because I am new to the CABC-WR. I put this in my prayers and God seem to be opening the doors as I become more familiarised with the people. I think the greatest challenge is to love those who you do not get on with. There was an interpersonal conflict this year which I put in the hands of God, and God is opening the doors for reconciliation currently.

Christian spirituality is often described as a journey rather than a destination. Brueggemann suggests that life of faith is a journey with God characterised by three basic movements: being oriented, being disoriented, and being surprisingly reoriented.[28] Our journey and growth as disciples means we need to expand the overlap between belief, attitude and action so that they align.^[29] Colossians3:23 reminds us that it is God we work for, and our work is the gift he prepared for us[30] so that we can learn to be a disciple. “Work is about stewardship, productivity, fruitfulness, relationships, for the good of the world, and for the glory of God.”[31]

xii. Demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal5:22-23)

In addition to my patients being the cultivators for my fruits of the Spirit, my family and friends are also my teachers. In the small group, the parents of teenagers started discussing the challenges of raising children. Their children drive them “angry as a devil”. We have to remember that children are our inheritance from God, and also part of the process in shaping us to be more like Christ. We have to accept that our children can be quite different from us, and affirm them rather than discourage them. However, there are times where we have to put a stop to destructive behaviours, and we can only pray to God that our children can see the love behind this. The elders in our lives can be teachers of our patience too. I have been encountering elders with early dementia in our family, the work setting and the church setting. Sometimes when you have just answered their question, they ask the same question again. Other times they have dangerous habits eg. not locking the door properly at night, but gets angry when you try to tell them about safer methods. In those circumstances, we can only offer our presence and prayers and assist them physically, which requires patience, kindness, and gentleness.

We are human beings, not human doings. God is more concerned with who we become than what we accomplish.[32] As branches of the true vine, we do not create life, but we receive it through our connection with the vine. Good works are not attained by dependence on our own fleshly efforts; instead, they flow from the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells us (Galatians5:16-25).[33] Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.[34] Paul wrote, “be imitators of me as I am of Christ.” 1Corinthians11-1. Paul’s use of the word imitators is important. Modelling, observing and copying is vital to discipleship because of the biblical view of the way disciples must learn.[35] In addition to imitating Christ, it is also important to find good mentors. We learn to do ministry by imitating those who do it well.[36]

Interestingly, as I reflect on my calling from last Friday until this week, on the 12July there was a bombardment of doctor+missions+holistic care related messages (which was what I have been thinking about for the last week): When I first opened my eyes a pastor from Melbourne posted about his “five star” Christian GP who did a three week short mission in Cambodia. Then I received an email from RACGP about the new government incentive for GPs to provide psychotherapies so as to provide more holistic care for patients. Then a pastor from Gold Coast posted something about searching for a GP to provide holistic care for a community. I have never encountered this many doctor+mission+holistic care messages in one day! This does not seem to be some random coincidence. So I don't know what doors will open up in the future, but it seems to be something along this direction.

Bibliography:

Adams, Joanna M. “What I Would Like to Tell My Colleagues in Ministry.” In Best Advice: Wisdom on Ministry from 30 Leading Pastors and Preachers, edited by William J. Carl, 1-6. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.

Agosto, Efrain. Servant leadership: Jesus & Paul. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2005.

Barnes, Craig. “Three Temptations of the Pastor.” In Best Advice: Wisdom on Ministry from 30 Leading Pastors and Preachers, edited by William J. Carl, 14-20. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.

Block, Daniel I. The Book of Ezekiel Chapters 1-24. Grand Rapids: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997.

Boa, Kenneth. Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001

Buchanan, John. “Why Stay in the Church?” In Best Advice: Wisdom on Ministry from 30 Leading Pastors and Preachers, edited by William J. Carl, 14-20. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.

Calhoun, Adele Ahlberg. Spiritual Disciplines Handbook. Downer’s Grove: IVP Books, 2015.

Crossan, John Dominic. Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1994.

Dawson, Gerrit Scott. “The Christian Life as a Journey.” In Companions in Christ. Participant's Book: A Small-Group Experience in Spiritual Formation, edited by Willard, Dallas, and Don Simpson, 17-24. Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2001.

Duguid, Iain M. Ezekiel: The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1999.

Greenleaf, Robert K. Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1991.

Greenleaf, Robert K. The Power of Servant Leadership. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1998.

Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life, Nashville: Word, 1998.

Lore, John S. “Servant-Leadership in a Christian Organization: The Sisters of St. Joseph Health System.” In Insights on Leadership, edited by Larry C. Spears, 297-307. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1998.

Malphurs, Aubrey. A New Kind of Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007.

Martin, Kara. Workship: How To Use Your Work To Worship God. Singapore: Graceworks Private Limited, 2017.

McCrindle, Mark. Faith and Belief in Australia: A national study on religion, spirituality and worldview trends. Australia: McCrindle Research Pty Ltd, 2017.

https://mccrindle.worldsecuresystems.com/blog/2017/05/Faith%20and%20Belief%20in%20Australia%20Report_McCrindle_2017.pdf

Osmer, Richard R. Practical Theology: An Introduction. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008.

Sipe, James W., and Frick, Don M. Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership: Practicing the Wisdom of Leading by Serving. New York: Paulist Press, 2009.

“Transformational Discipleship Program Foundation Module 1”, Morling College, 2017.

Wang, Ying-fan Yvonne. Dr Yvonne Wang’s Blabberings. Last modified July 8, 2017. http://dryvonnewang.blogspot.com.au

Wright, Walter C. Relational Leadership: A Biblical Model for Influence and Service. Colorado Springs: Biblica, 2009.

Yancey, Philip. Reaching for the Invisible God: What Can We Expect to Find? Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000.

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[1] Mark McCrindle, Faith and Belief in Australia: A national study on religion, spirituality and worldview trends (Australia: McCrindle Research Pty Ltd, 2017), 27.

[2] Kara Martin, Workship: How To Use Your Work To Worship God (Singapore: Graceworks Private Limited, 2017), xix.

[3] Martin, Workship, 69. Holy Working is virtuous, where you set high standards for yourself in the workplace, with a focus on personal moral transformation and training in godliness.

[4] McCrindle, Faith and Belief in Australia, 26.

[5] Efrain Agosto, Servant leadership: Jesus & Paul (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2005), 96.

[6] Walter C. Wright, Relational Leadership: A Biblical Model for Influence and Service (Colorado Springs: Biblical, 2009), 38.

[7] Robert K. Greenleaf, Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness(Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1991), 7.

[8] Wright, Relational Leadership, 41.

[9] James W. Sipe, and Don M. Frick, Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership: Practicing the Wisdom of Leading by Serving (New York: Paulist Press 2009), 38.

[10] Robert K Greenleaf, The Power of Servant Leadership, (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1998), 7.

[11] John S. Lore, “Servant-Leadership in a Christian Organization: The Sisters of St. Joseph Health System,” in Insights on Leadership, ed. Larry C. Spears (New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1998), 307.

[12] Richard R.Osmer, Practical Theology: An Introduction(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008), 34.

[13] John Dominic Crossan, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1994), 75-91.

[14] Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 102-04.

[15] Philip Yancey, Reaching for the Invisible God: What Can We Expect to Find? (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 239.

[16] Osmer, Practical Theology, 34.

[17] Martin, Workship, 85-86.

[18] Yancey, Reaching for the Invisible God, 204-205.

[19] Agosto, Servant leadership, 84.

[20] Martin, Workship, 104.

[21] Martin, Workship, 78.

[22] Craig Barnes, “Three Temptations of the Pastor,” in Best Advice: Wisdom on Ministry from 30 Leading Pastors and Preachers, ed. William J. Carl. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), 19.

[23] Daniel I.Block, The Book of Ezekiel Chapters 1-24(Grand Rapids: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997), 131.

[24] Iain M. Duguid, Ezekiel: The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), 74.

[25] Duguid, Ezekiel, 75.

[26] Aubry Malphurs, A New Kind of Church(Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007), 136. The inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God. The existence of only one true God as three coequal and coeternal persons (the Trinity). The deity and substitutionary atonement of Christ. The bodily resurrection of Christ. The physical return of Christ.

[27] Joanna M. Adams, “What I Would Like to Tell My Colleagues in Ministry,” in Best Advice: Wisdom on Ministry from 30 Leading Pastors and Preachers, ed. William J. Carl. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), 4.

[28] Gerrit Scott Dawson, “The Christian Life as a Journey,” in Companions in Christ. Participant's Book: A Small-Group Experience in Spiritual Formation, ed. by Willard, Dallas, and Don Simpson (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2001), 18.

[29] “Transformational Discipleship Program Foundation Module 1”, (Morling College, 2017), 7.

[30] Martin, Workship, 13.

[31] Martin, Workship, 23.

[32] Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook (Downer’s Grove: IVP Books, 2015), 21.

[33] Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 102-04. 

[34] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1999), 42. 

[35] Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life (Nashville: Word, 1998), 85.

[36] John Buchanan, “Why Stay in the Church?” in Best Advice: Wisdom on Ministry from 30 Leading Pastors and Preachers, ed. William J. Carl. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), 29.

Morling Tuesday Chapel Ephesians: Instructions for Christian Living,anger and forgiveness

Topic: Instructions for Christian Living, anger and forgiveness

Speaker: Edwina Murphy

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-32

Oscar Wilde: brilliant playwright author. Fell to disgrace and imprisoned for gross indecency with men. Wrote a 50,000 word letter about himself whilst in prison: the gods has given me most everything… but I allowed myself to be lured… perversity became to be as the sphere of passion... desire in the end become a madness. Taking pleasure where I pleased… I was no longer the lord of myself, no longer the captain of my soul. I ended in horrible disgrace.

V17: You must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. Christ is a real living risen person who transforms us in our lives.

V19: They have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity. If we seek pleasure, we end up with nothing.

V22: Putting off the old self: Just like when we have deteriorating disrupted clothes, we shouldn’t even bother washing them! Just throw them!

V23-24: Be made new in the mind: put off the old self, and be transformed, renewing of the mind, and put on a new self. God is giving us his righteousness to put on, clothed with Christ.

V25: How we speak. First it tells us what not to do: Put off falsehood. What to do: Speak truthfully (in love of course, as we see in other parts of the Bible). Because we are members of one family.

V26-27: In your anger, do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. We know of righteous anger, eg. angry about treatment of refugees, etc. Be angry, but don’t sin. Don’t let the sun go down while you still feel angry, or it gives the devil a foothold!! We are trying to be transformed into the image of Christ, but anger will disrupt that process. Edwina reminds us that one of the way to reduce anger is by getting enough sleep!! If you did not get enough sleep, everything is irritating. The whole world is already silly, foolish, and aggravating, but when you’re tired, you find it more irritating.

V28: If you have been stealing, must steal no longer, but work using their own hands, so they can help those who are in need. When Edwina was 6, she went to the store and saw a roll of sticky tape and it was 29cents. She got the sticky tape, didn’t pay for it and left the store. When they got home, her mother sees a roll of sticky tape in her bedroom, and asked her where it came from, so she replied it’s from the store. Her mother loaded everyone in the car, and made her confess the store manager. Although the store manager laughed it off, Edwina already felt quite troubled by it in her mind before they returned to the store. Ever since then, Edwina was careful that if someone hasn’t charged her for something in the shop that they charge her! And not only should one stop stealing but one must work with their own hands. It doesn’t say “to meet your own needs”, but “so you can share with those who are in need”. Use the money for the community. These are things we can do in putting off the old life.

V29: Build others up according to their needs, so it will benefit them. Everything we do should be for the building up of the community.

V30: Do not grief the Holy Spirit: do not hurt one another and destroy the community. Don’t hurt God by destroying His community. Before saying something in anger/make fun of another person, we need to stop and think. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee/marker of our final redemption, so that one day all of these will no longer be a work in progress, but we will make it.

V31-32: Get rid of all bitterness, rage, etc. Anger is a really serious problem. You have to stop. Instead, we have to be kind and compassionate, forgiving one another, just as in Christ, God forgave you. Forgiveness opposite of anger. Just as in Christ: this is the model.

Corrie Ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who, along with her father and other family members, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II. She was thrown into the concentration camp by the Nazis for her actions. She survived but her father and sister died in the camp. She was evangelising one day when one of the Nazi guards in her concentration camp came up asking for forgiveness. Corrie struggled greatly in this and finally lifted her hand, felt a jolt of lightening go into her hand and down to the Nazi man, and she was able to forgive the man by the power of God.

However, with God, we cannot rely on past experience. Many years later Corrie had Christian friends who betrayed her, and she couldn’t forgive again. Then she sought help from God. It was initially very hard: she had two weeks of sleepless nights. Then it got gradually better. Edwina gave the analogy of when one rings the bell in the city: When you let go of the rope, it continues to ring for a while before it stops. That was what it was like when Corrie eventually forgave her Christian friends, and eventually she had peace. We need to trust God over our thoughts first, and don’t be surprised if it continues to “ring” for a while initially.

Edwina had a friend said to her: You treat them according to your Christian principles, but I live in the real world. This friend allowed the root of bitterness grow in her heart. Edwina’s tip: Don’t kill the rats by drinking the rat poison yourself. When God tells us to forgive, we may think it’s wrong but trust it anyways.