This is the Way, Walk In It

Wynne Lewis was coming to Auckland to visit his son. I hadn’t seen Wynne since the 2002 FCA International Convention I helped organize. We’d exchanged email fairly regularly since. It was only 500 and some km from Palmerston North, so I thought we’d go up for the weekend.

Problem is: they don’t believe in straight roads in New Zealand. I was told it was a 9-hour drive. Alberta is flat until you get to the mountains. Nine hours would take you into Montana going south, or – I don’t know- five hours from NWT going north. You can get to the Okanogan and pick fruit for an hour. Taiessa would need to miss school. Gas cost 50 cents more than Alberta. It just didn’t work out.

But Wynne suggested we hook up with a friend of his, Rodney Francis, who was doing a prophecy seminar  in town later that month. We had seen the signs and didn’t know what to think, but any friend of Wynne’s…

Karen went to the conference alone since babysitting was at a premium but Rodney had me and the kids show up Saturday morning. He told the people “These people moved from Canada. That’s all you need to know. Tell them what God is saying to you about them.”

The next hour or so was the single most encouraging group activity I had been a part of for a long time. The Holy Spirit spoke encouragement and direction into our lives through what willing people risked with us. One lady came up to me after it was all done and said. “I didn’t come up because I thought what I saw was silly.”

I was curious. “What did you see?”

“I saw cars at Rangitikei and Tremaine.” She responded.

I smiled. “I guess I need to take the job if they offer it.” I said. She was confused.

I went for an interview at the Manawatu Standard for an advertising features writer. The churches had just gathered to pray against a sex expo that was coming to the city. The assistant editor asked me if, given my background, I would have trouble writing about the sex expo next year.

“I guess I could write about some of what happened.” “No” he insisted. “You would be promoting it.” “No, I wouldn’t” came my automatic response and the remainder of the interview entailed me asking him ethical questions on the paper’s responsibility to form public opinion.

I left the interview determined not to take the job out of spite… until this lady shared what she thought was silly. The  car dealership on Rangaitikei and Tremaine was the only advertising feature I had seen. I was offered a casual contract so that I could refuse any story I didn’t want to write. I took it, liked it, and promoted godly principles, because someone dared be silly.

Would you be silly for the sake of another?

We can be far too dignified to be any good for people who need us to be less like ourselves and more like God. I suppose it’s the old fear of man thing.

DON’T LET IT BE! Find your pleasure in God’s pleasure of you!

-Trevor Lund