If we explored the kingdom of God, got out of our comfort bubbles and championed others conclusions, seeing everything from someone elses shoes, maybe we would come to different convictions. Convictions that champion people as opposed to those that separate people with elitism.
The above photo was taken from one of the strangest guesthouses i’ve ever stayed in. It was a guesthouse you couldn’t book, that people rarely stayed long at. We stayed 8 nights, and the longest anyone else stayed was 2 nights. There was a constant flow of people from all over the world. Going in different directions, of different convictions and imperfections. We were just strangers who occasionally bumped into other strangers traveling. One guys reason for traveling was he wanted to be anywhere but at home, but he missed his dog.
Some were running from something, others were looking for something else. Others were using traveling to get to know a significant other, and others, like us, were traveling to get to know themselves a bit more whilst trying to help people.
What I love about the above photo, is the crossroads nature of both the physical road – as it was in the centre of the city, on the edge of a giant buddhism pagoda – and the spiritual heartbeat that pumped life through Yangon. Surrounding the park next door was the buddhist temple, a christian church, a mosque, a hindu temple and money changers – the servants of capitalism.
We would walk down the road and bump into very spiritual people who thought the complete opposite as us. I once had breakfast with a lovely hindu man whos philosophy on education lined up almost perfectly as mine. I spoke later with a buddhist man who mines precious jewels four hours away from the old capital, and his convictions on family and intimacy were mind blowing. I grow, a whole lot, by dialoging with people who disagree with me. Because either, i understand why I believe what i believe, or it paints my convictions grey and forces me to colour them different or trash them completely.
What I’ve found in my personal history is, when I’m in a bubble of stagnant sameness. Of elitist gatherings of people who all think the same and believe no one else believes what is right – I become the worst type of person. I don’t think this is monopolized by christendom, but… we aren’t great, when we become elitist.
What crossroads do you need to sit at?
What people do you need to learn from?
Two thousand and Four Teen is going to be a huge crossroads of thinking for me. And its going to be great.
We need to sit where Jesus sat, at the crossroads of humanity and the creator of the world.
Write mooooore about this! It’s so relevant to me right now
You’re incredible. Keep seeing the world.