By: Obed Pineda
“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them” (2nd Timothy 3:14)
Meeting strangers for the first time, for many, is not an easy experience. A primary reason this is so is because a person must discover a way to hold the interest of the newcomer, through the art of conversation. The challenge is that in this initial meeting a crucial piece of information is missing; what the interests of the unknown party are. Without a doubt, the level of difficulty increases significantly when this goal must be achieved while you are the stranger, in a foreign country, knocking on their door unexpectedly, with the purpose of announcing the glad tidings of salvation to the members of that household. One’s nerves begin to unravel due to the uncertainty of how the person who opens the door will respond to the unfamiliar face standing on the other side of it. Furthermore, the unsettling feeling of what action they will take when it is conveyed to them that the reason for our arrival is to invite them to a Gospel meeting and to offer a free Bible study. It is in this moment, when we realize the immensely important purpose for our visit, when we have to hear the inspired Paul’s voice exhorting us, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2nd Timothy 1:7). Surprisingly, I soon learned that my anxiousness was unmerited because door knocking in Peru is a completely different experience from door knocking in the States. My ambivalence stemmed from the apathetic reception that I am so used to because I encounter it so frequently here in the US. Thus, it was very refreshing when the majority of the people that we ran into were receptive to what we had to offer and would not immediately, rudely shut us down. Although it is true that not everyone we spoke to resulted in a Bible study, they at least willingly opened their doors and gave us an opportunity to make the offer. This different perspective of a warm, friendly reaction when strangers appeared outside their dwelling brought to my mind’s eye Paul’s words to the Corinthians, “I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1st Corinthains 16:8-9). Witnessing this community’s desire to want to know more about what the Bible teaches about salvation, raised my own appetite to want to share Christ’s redemption plan to them. This, too, illumined the value of being mentally and physically prepared to carry out this vital assignment. Remember that this task was taking place on the mountainous region of Arequipa, Peru; not on the flat lands of San Antonio, TX. The altitude of Arequipa at the base of the volcano Misti is approximately 7,661 feet above sea level. Therefore, it was not uncommon for us to find ourselves often walking upward on incline for many blocks to reach one house. For someone who is unaccustomed to trek on this kind of terrain, it added a whole other level of complication to successfully accomplishing the mission. On the other hand, it also amplified the gratitude toward God of having the blessing to muster the physical and mental strength to follow through with this glorious commission. It also tested my commitment and resolve to the dispensation of God’s grace to every creature (cf. Mark 16:15). Every day it was essential to hold firmly in my consciousness Nehemiah’s words, “…I am doing a great work…why should the work cease…” (Nehemiah 6:3) simply because of the toughness of the geographical location? Instead of focusing on the wear and tear that my body was enduring during that mission trip, I decided to focus on the privilege that God had granted me by choosing me to be one of His messengers in that region of the world (cf. 1st Timothy 1:12-17). But, perhaps, what was was not allowing discouragement to take my heart hostage whenever someone rejected our offer of studying the Bible with them, or worse, refusing to accept God’s holy truth. Many times, after having conducted a Bible study with someone and hearing them express that they now understood what our Lord’s requirements for salvation are, and then immediately follow that up with the heartbreaking news that they were going to remain in the “religion of their fathers,” it was hard not to relate to the prophet Samuel. Jehovah God revealed to His prophet, “they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” (1st Samuel 8:7b). Similarly, after Abram rescued his nephew, Lot, from captivity, Jehovah God encouraged him after Lot chose to remain in the plain of Jordan despite the experience he had just survived (cf. Genesis 14:1ff, 15:1-6). Who can forget the words that the disheartened and lonely Elijah uttered after he failed to convince the children of Israel to return to the LORD, to which the Almighty replied, “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1st Kings 19:18 read from verse 1). Finally, Paul also needed to be picked back up by the Lord Himself after being mercilessly persecuted in several cities, being unsuccessful in persuading his Jewish compatriots (among others) that Jesus is the Christ (cf. Acts 18:1-10). All of these examples (and many more found in Holy Writ) taught me that the moxie of tenacity is to serve God humbly and righteously by teaching His truth; not forcefully obligating people to accept it through dominance. It reminded me that my commitment is to God and His commandment; not my heart’s desire. Although my companions and I would share the Gospel as plainly and affectionately as possible, in the end it was their decision whether to accept or reject heaven’s grace. My complete obedience to the Savior’s great commission would display an example of what He requires from all of mankind as well. I realized that I could not ask others to be obedient to the Bible’s instructions, if I myself was not in compliance with it also. Thus, never losing sight that as long as I was faithful to the magnanimous Father’s will, then I can say, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do” (Luke 17:10b). With this, too, I soon learned that carrying out our God’s orders would require a mighty work ethic. To be continued…