Learn Like Jesus
Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel on Unsplash
I will never forget the time when I learned that saying “Thank you” too much can end relationships. It was several years ago when I was living and serving in East Asia. I had been living there for close to a year by then and prided myself on having grown in the language and cultural understanding of the region. It only took one conversation to prove that what I thought I had learned in that one year was woefully shy of any kind of real depth of knowledge of the people I was there to serve, their culture and ways.
I shared an apartment with a local young lady. One day after spending all day in language classes, I came home to find that she had cleaned up the mess I had left in the kitchen on my way out the door that morning. On seeing this I knocked on her bedroom door and offered her a heart felt thank you for her selfless action. Her response was NOT what I expected. Her face grew sad, and she lowered her head. When I asked her if something was wrong, she asked me, “Are we not friends?” I answered emphatically that we were certainly friends, to which she asked, “Then why do you always thank me?” I was completely stunned. My brain could not make sense of this conversation. Of course, I should thank her, right? Eventually I discerned there must be a cultural difference happening there.
Come to find out, in her culture “thank you” is used only in formal, distant relationships. However, in closer, informal relationships there should be no need to say “thank you” all the time because it is understood that whatever is done for one another is the duty of any friend. Saying “thank you” would put distance between you and the other person and communicate that you would like to keep the relationship more formal and as such their actions were really not expected or needed. As she explained these things to me my mind quickly turned to other relationships over the past year that had seemed to cool off unexpectedly. I could see now that I was the one who had caused it by my profusive use of “thank you!”
Luke 2:52 tells us that Jesus “grew in wisdom and stature” and Hebrews 5:8 that he “learned obedience”. Because Jesus came to us as a baby, he had to learn how to walk, talk, write, etc. He learned the ways of a culture that was foreign to him. Even in the garden of Gethsemane he was learning submission to his Father’s will as he plead “if you are willing remove this cup from me” and finally “but not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:39-44).
As cross-cultural workers we will always have something more to learn about the people and places we serve. I believe that God has placed a little bit of Himself in every people and in every culture. May we spend a lifetime discovering the treasures of Himself dispersed among the people of the earth! God is eternal and may be eternally searched!! So even as Jesus himself modeled, may we be lifetime learners walking humbly in the midst of those we serve and before an Almighty, All Knowing God!
John 6:45 “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God’. Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me...”
About the author: Mama J has been with All Nations since 2011 when she did her CPx (Church Planting Experience) training at the Cape Town Hub in South Africa. While working with All Nations, she has served in Cape Town, the Himalayas of northwest India, and is now helping plan the launch of the All Nations Taiwan Hub. She has served on Hub staff, as a field team leader, and currently serves as a church planting/member care coach and a trainer for CPx both with cross-cultural catalytic workers and local indigenous workers. She holds an M.A. in Christian Formation and Discipleship and is an ordained minister.
Get Connected & Let’s Grow Together!
We invite you! Here are some amazing resources you may find interesting including:
Our Founder, Floyd McClung, has 18 books and audio/video teachings that will be an encouragement to you as you press in to all Jesus has for you in your journey! Connect HERE to our founders area to be equipped!
Lessons from the Least, the Last, and the Lost, All Nations Weekly Devotion by Blake Staton, M.Div.
All Nations Pocket Guide to Church Planting by Dr. Pam Arlund (in many languages)
All Nations Storytelling Resource
Mission’s Edge, a monthly roundtable learning opportunities with ministry and missions leaders! Sign-up for any of these today and participate! Let’s grow together!
To participate or learn about our monthly global prayer for the neglected people around the world, sign-up HERE to receive a monthly video prayer invite. We meet on the last Thursday of each month at 8 am CST (US). We encourage everyone to join in as we pray that Jesus will be worshiped by all peoples of the earth — the least, the last, and the lost!
