By Oscar Muriu
In this blog post I am going to be reflecting on Luke 8:26-39. I recommend reading this passage of scripture so you can better follow along with my message.
A common belief that Christians have, is that miracles are the key to people being saved, but this is not true. Miracles are not the final proof of who Jesus is, but they may point to Him when they are accompanied by Truth. Some believe because of miracles, while others deny and reject because of miracles; miracles can harden the hearts who see them, just as they did to the pharisees. Miracles are not the key to salvation, they can also be found in other religions. So do not follow a miracle alone, because that is insufficient, but it is the truth of scripture that is the proof of God.
In Luke 28-39, Jesus took initiative and went to the other side to heal a man. What does this mean? He crossed cultural barriers, spending time with people that were unlike Him. He went intentionally back and forth between His people and the gentiles. Jesus told His disciples to come, and go with Him to the other side. The other side is somewhere you may not want to go, and interact with people you may not want to be around. It may include not just people of a different culture, but people from a different status. The other side may include orphans, street children, the poor, the rejects, the mentally challenged, the oppressed, etc. It doesn’t matter who they are, Jesus loves them, and went to the cross to die on their behalf too. He calls us to love those He died for. We too must cross cultural and social barriers, and go to the other side.
When crossing barriers and entering a new culture, there is something to be aware of, known as the Cultural Shock Curve. This curve has four phases within it. The first step is when you enter the culture, everything about about it has a wow factor. You love the food, the colors, the buildings, clothes, languages, etc. But after three months, the second part of the curve begins and issues arise. You begin to see problems, inconsistencies, and injustices. Reality checks in and the shine on the culture begins to fade. The third phase is about six months later, and you acquire resentment towards the culture. You don’t like anything; you want to leave and never come back. But you must not leave just yet. You must stay in the culture until you work through the fourth phase, resolution. You realize that the culture has both good and bad things, but so does home, they are just different.
Let’s go my friends, to the other side, and be disciples of Jesus.
Oscar Muriu is the Senior Pastor of Nairobi Chapel in Nairobi, Kenya and a dear friend to Resource Global.