Cockroaches Part 2

Cockroaches seem to be a part of life here in Madagascar. Roaches in the shower, par for the course. Roaches on the table, apparently a normal occurrence. My recent experience with roaches in the hotel room is deemed quite normal by most people that I've interacted with here. Just a few days ago I would watch in horror as a giant roach would slither across the floor of the restaurant; now I'm almost oblivious.

Tonight at dinner I watched a massive one calmly slither across the floor of a very nice place without giving it a second thought. Yes, it's true. I'm becoming hardened to the presence of roaches. It no longer seems to bother me. However, one story did.

A friend of mine here in Madagascar sleeps with earplugs. During the night she headed to the restroom. At some point she realizes that one of her earplugs has fallen out. Hoping to find it before returning to bed, she takes a quick glance at the floor around her. Still somewhat groggy and not wanting to turn on the light, she sees what seems to be to her an ear plug on the floor. Without giving it a second thought she reaches down to pick up the ear plug and put it back in its proper place: her ear.

In so doing she lets out a scream realizing that the earplug has legs and is very much alive inside her hand. I don't know about you, but I shuddered when I heard the story. It was too close to home for me after my recent experience with the roaches in bed the other night.

The mental picture of a cockroach in your ear really doesn't sit right. How absurd! Can you see someone walking around with roaches hanging out of their ears? Yuck! However, the more I've thought about it, the more I'm concerned that this is actually what many people do. Of course, I don't mean naturally. Rather, spiritually. When I think of the ear I think of hearing. Spiritually speaking we are responsible for maintaining a posture of "hearing."

We do this through prayer, worship, the Word, godly counsel, accountability, fasting, obedience to the Lord, walking in love towards our brothers, etc... When one or more of these elements begins to falter it is easy to loose spiritual equilibrium. Instead of following the voice of the Good Shepherd we reach for other sources of direction and inspiration- men's opinions, cultural values, our own thoughts and ideas, life's pressures, etc... None of which are necessarily evil, but when they become the things directing and filling our hearing then I would call them cockroaches. They become filters perverting true hearing.

Jesus says multiple times "let him who has ears hear". This is a call to develop the capacity He has given us to hear His voice. In this hour may we be those who hear, obey, and rest in His voice. Hoping you have cockroach free ears! SK

Madagascar's welcoming committee

Arriving at Ivato International Airport in Antanarivo, Madagascar I was welcomed by a growing throng of people. Numbering in the thousands they encircled the airport parking lot and lined the streets leading into town. Quite the welcoming party! As much as I would like to say that the masses were present because of their great love for missions and missionaries, this would be a lie. Rather, they came out in number to welcome the ex-president's wife scheduled to return to Madagascar from a forced exile in South Africa just half an hour after my arrival. At the last minute the government warned her not to come just as they did for her husband two weeks ago. So the crowds quietly dispersed.

Later that night I was officially welcomed to Madagascar by some of the largest cockroaches I've seen. One was so cordial that he decided to crawl into bed with me feeling that I needed extra hospitality. After pumping enough bug spray in the room to cause my head to spin, I settled back down in bed. Just a few minutes later and another welcoming party decided to make their visit. Mosquitos. Lots of them. For nearly an hour I was serenaded by their sweet songs in my ears. With such beautiful melodies reverberating in the still night air I found it difficult to sleep. Some 40 bites later I decided I had been over-welcomed and decided it was my turn to do some welcoming.

The next morning the results of my hospitality were seen clearly: dead cockroaches strewn across the wooden floor and bloody splotches on the sheets where the mosquito committee met their match. Yes, it was quite the grand welcoming: crowds, giant insects, and mosquitos. Thankfully, there were some positive aspects of the welcome. Friends at the airport, warm sunshine, and lush vegetation.

I preached this morning on abiding with Christ. I wonder if sometimes we welcome Christ into our lives only to ask Him to dwell with creepy motivations and ambitions in our hearts, false cries of affection and adoration, and the distractions caused by the buzzing of too many things permitted in our lives from this world.

Rather, may we create an atmosphere and environment where the King is most welcome to abide in our hearts and lives.

Yes, I'm learning all kinds of new methods for welcoming. Should any of you choose to come visit, you will be probably feel most welcomed.

(There are pics posted on FB).