So Much Respect

 

This morning I had the chance to revel in preparation for a sermon where I get to talk about someone I admire very much.

Dr. Daniel McGilvary, pioneer missionary to Northern Thailand.

Without laying out the entire of my message (on November 5 at Highview, if you are so inclined), I'll just offer a rather lengthy quote in the hopes of demonstrating the clarity and intelligence with which McGilvary attended to the people he believed he had been sent to love.

I do so in hopes of balancing out the sadly understandable negative image conjured up by the word 'missionary', especially at the turn of the century when the Christian message was first brought to northern Thailand (and other places of the world). Sadly understandable, but not, I contend, deserved across the board.

Humour me for a minute and just listen to his respect for process, culture, and the journey of the human spirit.

"I presume that most Christian people in America have a very crude idea of the method of preaching the Gospel often, or perhaps, generally, used by missionaries, particularly in new fields. If they think that the bell is rung, that the people assemble in orderly fashion, and take their seats, that a hymn is sung, prayer offered, the Scripture read, a sermon delivered, and the congregation dismissed with the doxology and benediction, -- they are very much mistaken.

"All that comes in time...Long after the time we are now speaking of, one could talk of religion to the people by the hour, or even by the day; one might sing hymns, might solemnly utter prayer, in response to inquiry as to how we worshipped -- and they would listen respectfully and with interest.

But if public worship had been announced, and these same people had been invited to remain, every soul would have fled away for fear of being caught in some trap and made Christians without their consent, or for fear of being make to suffer the consequences of being reputed Christians before they were ready to take that step....I have seen people who were standing about the church door and looking in, driven quite away by the mere invitation to come in and be seated."

From "Half a Century Among the Siamese and Lao: An Autobiography" Daniel McGilvary

I am impressed by and want to emulate this kind of sensitivity for the whole process of spiritual formation across humanity. If I understand myself to be a 'missionary pastor', I hope this is the kind of reputation I can continue.

"But in your hearts set apart Christ s Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

1 Peter 3:15

In a world where we seem to be less and and less able to disagree agreeably, I hope we can find our way to embrace gentleness and respect at every opportunity.