Keith Hawes: Learning from worshipers in a church in Zambia
I was a little surprised when the teenagers in red uniforms started marching by our car. The local pastor explained that they were there to welcome and honor me as the guest speaker for the church service that morning.
It is the custom in Zambia to show great honor to guests. Their display of appreciation humbled me as they continued to march for about a mile to the church.
As we got out of the vehicle, I could hear the sound of the people singing songs in Nyanja. The passionate singing and praise filled the air around the humble church building. I saw both universal and local expressions of joy, praise and rejoicing throughout the service. As I observed their worship, I became very aware of how much we could learn from this little church in Zambia.
They worshiped so expressively and so passionately about a God they said had blessed them. They danced and sang about God's blessings in a building with no roof, dirt floors and plastic chairs. I was humbled. It is so easy to get caught up in the trappings of American consumerism and believe we have to have the best and the greatest. In reality, we should be grateful for every blessing.
It's easy to get wrapped up in the responsibilities of daily life—family, social obligations, jobs, homes, to-do lists and even time-consuming distractions. We go from one thing to the next, usually focused on the lack of time or resources we have to fit in all in our schedule.
Our perspective of God's blessings seems to get clouded by the frustrations of managing our responsibilities. Like the old hymn says, "counting our blessings" just doesn't fit in our schedule.
Thankfully, we're not the first to navigate this, and Scripture offers direction. Paul reminded the Colossians to take an eternal perspective, setting their mind on "the things above." I encourage you to take some time to gain an eternal perspective on the blessings in your life. Take some notes from the Restoration Worship Center in Lusaka, Zambia and learn to rejoice for every good thing in your life.
Keith Hawes is the pastor of Stewart Road Church in Monroe. He can be reached at contact@stewartroad.org.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Keith Hawes: Learning from worshipers in a church in Zambia
