A Line Drawn in the Sand- Jamie Peters

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       How do you reach a people group that doesn't know what your customs are? Where is the line drawn between reaching people and conquering people? Can you compromise and even get along with a culture and/or religion that is completely different from yours? These themes and more are the heart and soul of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Although the book centers on Okonkwo and his struggle in trying to live in the past, it is more interesting to me to see both sides of the line interact with another - the people of Umuofia and the English conquerors and missionaries.
       Neither side of the battle knew each other. The people of Umuofia saw these men as strangers, outsiders, here to ruin their way of living. In their minds, everything that had been done up until this point- throwing away twins, harming "evil" children- was all a way of life in order to appease the gods. Alternatively, England was setting off to conquer anything that they, in their egocentrism, saw as primitive. They did not realize the intricacies of these people because, to them, they were not people. The only English men that saw the people of Umuofia as civilized human beings were the missionaries, and even they, too, belittled their customs, especially after Mr. Brown left.
       We are the children of God and we are trying to reach people in a lost and dying world. Am I able to look past what I think is perverse to see why someone lost does something? That is how we are supposed to evangelize, to connect with each other.

I commented on Hailey's and Eliza's posts.

Comments

Rebecca Belew said…
Your question at the end is a very good reflection question for everyone. It sparks me to action in love, rather than in judgement. Often times we refuse to see that people are as intricate as we are. The word for the realization is "sonder" and it is a powerful realization that every stranger that one passes by or sees on the street has a life as complex and unique as their own. It's a realization I believe we should all carry with us as a reminder to be understanding and ready to listen. Sometimes our best witnessing happens when we listen rather than speak.
March 1, 2020 at 4:13 PM
Rachael Gregson said…
Jamie, I really love how you worded your post. I do too think that's why a lot of the old traditionalist villagers resisted the change when so many others opened their arms to it. They felt like they were being conquered rather than offered a new and easier way of living. This book really does teach us how to approach people that may not exactly live and believe like we do.
March 2, 2020 at 5:48 PM
Moriah Nelson said…
I definitely saw your point presented in Achebe's book and think it's such an important concept for all of us to consider, but especially those who are Christians. I think we can see the image of God and His creativity displayed in the diversity of cultures around the world and that alone is something that can be celebrated. Additionally, I think we can learn from Achebe that it will often cause far more harm than good to barge into a culture and act like we know what is best when we aren't even sure what their day-to-day looks like. It's good to approach a culture with humility, always remembering that the people we talk to and meet are people, image bearers of God as we are, who are greatly loved by God.
March 2, 2020 at 6:55 PM
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