The Weak Hand

Currently I am at MTI (Missionary Training International) in Colorado, with plans to leave for Uganda by the end of October! Yesterday in one of my classes I had to draw a characterization of myself, portraying the current journey on which God has taken me... with my left hand. Being the perfectionist that I am I was not particularly thrilled by this task. My pitiful stick person self portrait had a large purple crayon stroke down the middle. One red curve of my mouth going up in a smile, excited about my soon departure to Africa, the other curving down as I am sad to part with family, friends, church, and job that I love so much. Somewhat reluctantly I shared with the others at my table what was depicted... as explanation was most definitely needed.

So what was the point? The immediate application is that when I arrive in Uganda I am going to be weak, helpless even, awkward and inept in my attempts at learning foreign culture. But with practice it will come more easily. Upon deeper pondering spiritual implications came to surface. God loves to give us all left handed tasks in which our attempts just aren't pretty. At this point it becomes less about us as we have nothing to take pride in. Really the only thing of worth is the story that we tell. As believers our lives are about telling the story of the gospel and letting it motivate us to love others. But so often we do this poorly. God in his goodness and graces still uses our feeble attempts and the story goes forth with Him, it's author, getting his rightful Glory!