A long and winding road....

Each of the students that grace my room on any given day come full of issues that they would like me to deal with as soon as possible. The teachers speak too fast, the videos shown in class are too difficult to understand, the books are too complicated and the list goes on. I do what I can but in the middle of it all I keep reminding them...it is going to be difficult remember? It isn't easy for some English speakers to grasp what is going on in class let alone someone from another language group...but you do remember that is won't be easy especially at first...right? No matter what we do to help, it is still difficult. It is still English, it is still another culture, it is still another country. I keep reminding them that it will get easier...your ears will begin to follow the flow of each of your teachers...
Lately in our chapels we have been talked to on numerous occasions now about how badly our reputations are as Christians. No one seems to listen to us, we all have terrible reputations in the culture at large and we are making no impact for lasting change. I realize especially after this week and the 'pastor' in Florida that we have made some really awful publicity stunts...but I am also reminded that Jesus told his followers...we are going to be hated. If we follow Jesus maybe there should be some unease. People seem to like Jesus if you ask the man on the street, they just don't like his followers. I say...it is easy to like Jesus..hard to follow Him. I don't think he wanted to be liked as much as He wanted to be followed. It isn't supposed to be easy...we are very much like the international students here at LC. We are from another culture, speak another language and hopefully have a different perspective on the whole. It isn't supposed to be easy as much as we want it to be...nothing about that Kingdom is easy. It is contrary to everything this world lives for, runs with and loves. As much as we want to be hip, fun, cool and relevant...I think we are supposed to be a bit like how we are coming across. Not the wacky stupid stunts, or the moral majority political agenda...but the I won't live like that, I won't cheat, I won't live for the dollar, I won't make sex cheap, I won't think less of a race, gender, minority , I will be faithful, I will do justice, love mercy and walk humbly. I will follow Jesus and take up his cross and deny myself and all of that isn't easy or popular.

For the International students it will get easier to acclimate to this LC world...for us who want to follow Jesus, it never should.