Vietnam Postscript - March 29, 2011

Yes or No As time passes from the trip and my body slowly adjusts its internal clock to this time zone, I find myself at a juncture of needing to assimilate the good and present realities from the Vietnam trip into the present realities of life at home. God blessed me while serving his people in Vietnam, but he also blessed me to be a blessing to those whom I love at home, here in Utah. One of those blessings came from a teaching moment that surfaced in my memory in the dreamlike state between being fully awake and fully asleep this morning. The memory is of Binh interacting with our team members in the heat of the moment of scrambling to set up a clinic while 300 children were waiting in the cold. Binh's response to a team member's protest as to the lack of ideal conditions for their particular station was simply this: "Do you want to move here or there, yes or no?" The team member, at first, responded with a litany of what ideal conditions should look like, but Binh interrupted, "yes or no!" "Tell me what you want to do, move here or there." It was a call to action given the circumstances. Make a decision, choose a path, and make the best of it, regardless of circumstances, adapt where you can improve, forget about whining, just put your nose to the grindstone and get to work. There's a job to be done. The children are waiting. If you've ever experienced Binh in this way, you understand what I'm talking about. She is intense and definitely present in the moment. In that moment you are forced to make a decision and to get on with life, put your hand to the plough and don't look back. Just in the few days upon my return, I heard updates of how close our church is about to pay off its mortgage. People are wondering what to do with the excess money. Some are concerned that attendance at the church has been declining at a slow rate. I heard litanies as to what ideal conditions should be and the list of circumstantial woes: the economy hasn't helped, people are working more or distracted, etc. But, in the final assessment, we will simply be faced with a "yes or no" proposition. Will we go to the people in Jesus' name, proclaiming his gosple in word and deed? Yes or No? Will we do what needs to be done? Yes or No? Vietnam offered many decision points:

1. Will you serve children at risk in Vietnam? Yes or No?


2. Will you conduct a clinic in a locale even if permission was revoked? Yes or No?


3. Will you conduct a clinic in less than ideal weather conditions? Yes or No?


4. Will you serve until every child is seen, regardless of the time? Yes or No?


5. Will you personally serve when you are tired? Yes or No?


6. Can you conduct your particular role in the clinic with given resources? Yes or No? If no, want do you need? Can you make due? Yes or no. If not, who will go get what is needed?


7. Will you serve all children at risk or only certain ages? Yes or No?


8. Will you serve disabled children? Yes or No?


9. If you need some resource in able to serve the children, will you go get it? Yes or No?

In a similar way, Jesus offers us decision points:

1. Will you go and make disciples of all nations in my name? Yes or No?


2. Will you feed the hungry and thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those in prison, care for the least among us? Yes or No?


3. Will you love one another as I have loved you? Yes or No?


4. Will you do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God? Yes or No?


5. Will you care for the orphaned, the widowed, and oppressed? Yes or No?


6. Will you lay down your life for the sake of another? Yes or No?


7. Will you lose your life for my sake and the gospel, take up the cross and follow me? Yes or No?


8. Will you love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and your neighbor as yourself? Yes or No?


9. Will you pray? Yes or No?

While in Vietnam I was reading the Capetown Commitment, a document produced from the recent worldwide meeting of church leaders to discuss world evangelism. I was amazed at the document, since it framed evangelism within the framework of love and community. It's call to action serves like a mandate and clear vision of how we are to serve Christ by serving those he came to save.

But direct mandates force decisions. I learned that my heart was often unwilling. Though with my lips I said "yes," in my heart I wanted to say "no." Ultimately it came down to behavior and my actions. Jesus said, by their fruit you will know them. I call it the Forrest Gump principle (from the movie starring Tom Hanks), "stupid is as stupid does." Lovers love. The kind are kind. The merciful show mercy. The compassionate show compassion. Those with servant's hearts serve. The ambassadors proclaim the message entrusted to them. Teachers teach. The thankful show gratitude.

In the near future, we will be exploring what it means to be the church of Christ. Don't be surprised if you are confronted in your own life with a yes or no proposition that tests the willingness of your heart.

Remember the rich, young ruler who asked Jesus, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus' response was not "believe in him as the Savior" and then live for yourself. Jesus loved him and challenged him, "go and sell all your possessions and give them to the poor, then follow me." It was a "yes or no" test of his heart. Would the young ruler love Jesus with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind? The first test was trust. The young ruler, sadly, was unwilling. His answer to Jesus' proposition was "no."

I'm looking forward to living the blessing of the Vietnam Medical Mission Trip among you. May our response to our Lord be "yes" as all of his promise to us find their "yes" in Christ.

Thanks again to all who prayed. Your prayers made the difference.

Pastor Jeff