Being Who God Made Us To Be

Pastor Rick Warren has a very successful book entitled "The Purpose Driven Life" and it's companion book "The Purpose Driven Church". I've read both and have gleened lots of good points for my ministry and my life. I have come to the conclusion that I need to live my life as I understand God wants me to live my life. That is to say that I must strive to be who God made me to be.

And as I am more aware of that calling and desire, I become more aware of others around me who are doing exactly the same thing. Thus, this posting will be focused on a certain young lady from New Hampshire who just spend six weeks here with us as part of our engineering team. However, her presence here had a far more reaching impact on me and on others than just her considerable engineering talents. I believe that Jessica had such an impact on so many of us because she is geniune - the real deal - and because she was being exactly what God made her to be.

Jessica is a Civil Engineer. Being a female in the traditionally male dominated engineering profession in the US is tough enough, but to come to Afghanistan where women are not usually even encouraged to hold any job outside the home....well, that should tell you immediately what this young lady is made of. I must admit that I was a bit worried when I found out that we were having a twenty-something young lady join us in this environment, but once I met Jessica all my preconceived notions and misconceptions went right out the window.

Not only does she have the engineering skills necessary to make our work here very successful, she has the interpersonal skills and humble attitudes to show our all male Afghan engineering team that a woman can be just as effective an engineer as a man. It did not take long at all for our Afghan staff to accept her - it became quickly obvious that they respected her to the point where they wanted to work with her. In a very short period of time, she was 'adopted' and gained several new fathers and brothers - and not just from the Afghan staff either!

I believe with all my heart that she was just being who God made her to be. Nothing more, nothing less. When we do that without any pretense, without any labels, without any masks - people see our hearts and our spirits. We don't need to speak the same language, live in the same culture or even practice the same religion to love our neighbor.

Jessica was only here for six weeks as a short term technical assistant, but she touched so many lives. It was emotionally obvious when our Afghan engineering staff began to present her with several gifts during her last week here. Not just once or twice, but several times they brought pashminas, shawls, traditional shirts and presented them to her as a token of their respect and affection.....just because Jessica was being who God made her to be.

The last event before she returned home brought it all out into the light and touched me so very deeply that I must share it. Engineering Omar is a man in his fifties who has experienced so much pain and war in his lifetime, but I truly believe in his heart that he has truly adpoted Jessica as his third daughter.

Our engineering team was invited to his home for a traditional Afghan dinner shortly before Jessica was leaving the country. The dinner was fabulous and the company was even better. But what happened after dinner will be forever etched in my memory and my heart. Omar and his wife presented Jessica with beautiful gifts...jewelry, a shawl, a shirt, but it wasn't the gifts that made the moment - it was the look on Omar's face. It was a look of love...all made possible because Jessica chose to be who God made her to be.

In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment. Jesus replied "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

When we give ourselves over to God - heart, soul and mind - we can't help but be filled with His love, gentleness and compassion. When we show that love, gentleness and compassion to our neighbors - no matter who or where they are- we show them the love of God. In other words, when we are living our lives in His presence, we are being who God made us to be.

Jessica has done that and she has made a lasting impression on many of us....but the story doesn't end there. At the end of her six week deployment, Jessica made it clear she really didn't want to leave - and that she definitely wanted to come back. In addition to my written request to the home office requesting her return, every engineering staff member in our Kabul office made it very clear they also wanted her back.

The home office concurred ... and sometime after the Christmas holidays, we will welcome Jessica back to Afghanistan for at least an additional six weeks!

Blessings to one and all this most Holy Christmas season. May God touch every and every one of you in a very special way. May each of us feel led to live our lives as God made us to be.

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Russ