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Sunday, October 19, 2014

Ebola, Incarnation, and Cost

Thanks for reading the ebola post, and thinking about it.  We are given the blessing of being part of the way God blesses the world.  I hear a lot of fear, and I want to hear that with compassion.  But being a blessing is a costly pursuit.  Just ask Jesus.  He said "take up your cross".  So if American soldiers and doctors and epidemiologists and pilots all do that, Amen.  A few may get sick.  Most won't, and in the process will have the opportunity to be part of a story of redemption that is thousands of years in the telling.  Some of the comments on the post are supportive, some are hostile.  We have left them all up to respect the diversity of opinion.  One sticks in my mind, and I think will become my new description of the incarnation:  "skinny-dipping in ebola juice".  That was meant to chastise us (even though we're currently thousands of miles away in Kenya).  But it is a vivid image of Jesus, safe in eternity, entering this world of muck and danger, for us.  

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I appreciate your work and your blog so much. I hope the hostile comments on that post didn't discourage you too much. Everything you said is true - following Jesus will at times be costly - but so worth it to get 'to be part of the story of redemption that is thousands of years in the making.' The wisdom of God is sometimes foolishness to the world so I guess we shouldn't be too surprised that some folks don't get why you do what you do.

Thanks again for sharing your stories on the blog.

Mustapha MaDish said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mustapha MaDish said...

I like your blog n God bless you!

Windy said...

I like your posts and the freedom of speech you have allowed opposing viewpoints; I like wisdom so I trust there's no real skinny-dipping; and I like American soldiers, so of course I'm concerned about their safety and that of anyone who comes in contact with a deadly virus. May the Lord use all three to His glory! Thank you for following the vision He has given you at this time!!!

Saintly Nurse said...

I read that comment and wondered if the commenter had actually read your post, it was so full of hyperbole.

Nevertheless, the way you took that comment and turned it into a teaching moment speaks highly of your character and the grace that infuses it. The image of Jesus shedding safe, beautiful Heaven to come and wade with us messy, mucked-up humans is a most powerful one. Thanks for giving me some food for thought today.

Judith said...

I am shocked by the rude malice of some of the comments on your Ebola post. The disembodied nature of communication--the anonymity provided by the internet--can lead as it did in this case to a venting of disproportionate rage. I am so sorry that you have been the target of such evil. There is no excuse for such behavior. It is simply and horribly inappropriate. I am sorry that you had to experience it.
Judy in HMB

Judith said...

I am shocked by the rude malice of some of the comments on your Ebola post. The disembodied nature of communication--the anonymity provided by the internet--can lead as it did in this case to a venting of disproportionate rage. I am so sorry that you have been the target of such evil. There is no excuse for such behavior. It is simply and horribly inappropriate. I am sorry that you had to experience it.
Judy in HMB