GREAT NEW MOVIE
today i heard a radio ad for End of the Spear, the movie about jim and elizabeth elliot and the deaths of jim and their partners and friends in mission. it made me cry.
why do some people choose to leave the known for the unknown? comfort for discomfort? what kind of courage does it take to go move into a jungle and live among primitive peoples who are so different from us, at any moment they can turn on us and kill us because they also think we’re different? i’ve never read the book that inspired the movie (Through The Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliot) but i imagine that that’s what happened.
i also just watched Born Into Brothels. another great example of a life lived for something greater than ourselves. a young woman who is a photographer who chooses to move into the red light district of calcutta, falls in love with the children of the prostitutes and drug addicts, then helps some of them get out of there for a chance of a normal life.
i want to live that kind of courageous, selfless life. but again i ask: “what does it take to leave everything and go?” i don’t know if i have it in me and i’m ashamed.
if you have the answer let me know,
niza
January 18th, 2006 at 9:07 am
Niza.
I feel ashamed as well. But larger than that I feel ashamed when I look at the majority of Christians who don’t even think about these questions that you ask!
Just a confession to say I feel ahamed as well!!
I pray that we would become more brave and courageous.
Would look out for both movies here in SA.
Thanks.
January 18th, 2006 at 2:09 pm
We shall have to look out for those movies.
Thanks for the challenge.
January 18th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
thanks for the heads-up on the film. my favorite jim elliot line - “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
terry
January 18th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
Niza,
I appreciate your heart… and thanks. I’m working through this myself but I feel that the answer to your question is found somewhere in Luke 9:23. How do we lose ourselves so that we can attain our Savior’s love? And where are the churches that practice this? Who will lead us to this place? It does begin with one heart…sold out!
January 18th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Okay, so I was talking with Deana, explaining my strategy to wait till the kinks got worked out of the Vox before posting. Deana so graciously offered, “that’s what the Beta group is for.” Ohhhhhhhhhhh, so I’m the dope.
So, first on my list is to respond to those who graciously welcomed me. Thank you!
Sally
January 18th, 2006 at 5:04 pm
Hey Niza,
Cherish your dissatisfaction. Sherry and I have left much over the last year to follow the stirring of the Lord in our hearts. We haven’t sacrificed nearly as much as others… but we also haven’t experienced the full bite of the sacrifices that have been set in motion but won’t be “felt” for a couple of months yet.
So here we are living the riskiest lives we have so far and people say to us “you’re doing it! you’re living that sacrificial life!”. We are, I guess, to some degree… but are we FULLY? No. I still feel and struggle with what you describe, Niza. And now I’m wondering if it ever really goes away no matter how great a life of sacrifice you live. Did Jim Elliot lie awake at night in the jungle also yearning to live a more courageous, selfless life?
I would suggest this burden we feel is perhaps actually a gift not to be despised but embraced and fanned. A gift that unites us to the heart of the Savior that strives for the lost and to the saints that have went before us and those that pour out their lives for the sake of His kingdom all over the planet right now.
I agree with Hermann that it’s HUGE these things and questions are on your heart and radar at all. That’s the biggest thing. The next biggest thing is keeping them there, nurturing them, and not letting your heart grow cold. Then try not to worry - God’s at work and He will bring those things to fruition.
He’s doing it with Sherry & I.
Greg
January 18th, 2006 at 5:26 pm
Hey Niza, just to say, you need to change your timezone to LA time…its currently GMT. There’s a HowTo guide here.
January 18th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
Hey girl!
I can’t wait for this movie. I ask myself the questions too… Jim & Elizabeth Elliott did amazing things… Elizabeth Elliott still does as she writes her books and devotionals here that we are challenged and encouraged by… life after and inbetween those tough choices are often as she says “Doing the next thing”…
On of my favorite Jim Elliott quotes…
“Whereever you are BE ALL THERE!”
January 19th, 2006 at 5:55 am
Niza,
God calls us to love people. But he also puts people in our path and on our hearts to love. If we love those people sacrificially, that is all we have to do. It’s enough.
The Elliots were called to go live with a remote tribe and love them; God had put those people on their hearts. But not all of us are called to the same place. God has put the people of Over-the-Rhine, a low-income neighborhood of Cincinnati, on my heart; I am following his call to love them sacrificially. And I’m finding that the more I serve them, the more I give, the more love God puts in my heart for them, and the less it feels like a sacrifice. More and more, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sometimes it hurts in the middle, but it is always worth it in the end.
Your call may be to love the women in your church in L.A. sacrificially; or to love other home schooling mothers sacrificially (a much greater challenge than mine to love poor people! :-\ ). If so, don’t feel badly that your sacrifices don’t seem as dramatic as the Elliots. God looks at the heart, and he sees the love, the desires, and the sacrifices made there. Who has God put in your path and on your heart? Who is he calling you to love today?
January 19th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Nothing. It takes the willingness to have nothing…but your faith in Christ…and a sense of adventure.
January 19th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Niza, I saw the end of the spear film last week, it does have some important things to challenge us on in terms of discipleship, mission, reconcilation and transformation of culture. I would love to show this to young adults and then talk about values
January 19th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
You have it in you! You soooo have it in you!!
I’ve been dealing with a similar topic in my own life — what does it mean to really die to self?
I think it takes everything. And at the same time, nothing.
It takes a willing heart. It takes deep love. It takes utter DISsatisfaction with life-as-usual.
But at the same time, God takes you as you are, where you are and calls you to leave everything you know right now and move forward with Him. You don’t need any super-powers or special costumes or even a super-secret spy decoder ring.
Nothing. Not even special character or selflessness. Or even a “calling” (as many say missionaries and ministers have).
Some (like me!!) would say that you and Alex have given your lives so those in the “jungles” of LA can know Jesus. What difference does it make if that jungle is made of trees or made of concrete?
Once you start down this road, though, it consumes everything. Nothing is sacred, nothing is off-limits to God. One by one every vice and every piece of unnecessary luggage will be stripped from your heart and soul. And I think this is where your sense of “shame” comes in.
I’m learning (as I’m sure you are!) that living this sacrificial, selfless life is never fully satisfying. I’m always dissatisfied with where I am/who I am, which is what compells me forward to become MORE than I am. But the enemy of our souls likes to twist this around to make it look like we aren’t doing “enough” or being “good enough”, giving enough or… whatever. You fill in the blank.
WE feel that way but it isn’t how GOD feels about us. He sees US, as well as our progress and celebrates us every day for how far we’ve come and who we are right now.
But that doesn’t change the nature of Abundant Life. And that nature is that no matter how far we go — and you have gone far, Niza!! — or how deep and rich our character — of which yours is vast! — we will always feel a pinch from this Abundant Life we live, a disssatisfaction that we aren’t ALL we are made to be yet. We feel it ’cause God designed it that way; He designed it to always move us forward, rather than let us get comfortable right where we are. It’s the enemy who twists that dissatisfaction into shame. Don’t let him. You are living that sacrificial, selfless life! Just keep going!
January 19th, 2006 at 6:18 pm
Niza:
I appreciate your genuine honesty. Many people when asked the question, “Would you give up everything and go?”, would say “yes”, simply because it is the right thing to say - yet, they remain silent and immovable. My wife and I recently sold most of our posessions and moved to Miami to advance the cause of Christ. However, each day I have to make the decision to sacrifice and “go”. There are many days that I think my move to Miami was enough… Sadly it is not. We have to make a daily commitment to “give up everything and go”. I am ashamed that I do not do that each day - I spend my time patting myself on the back for past faithfulness. It is a constant struggle. I am convicted to put foot to pavement. I still long for more.
This is my daily prayer:
Jim Elliot - “Father make me a crisis man… Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.”
Press on!
January 19th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Your heart resonates with mine. I love you, sista!
January 20th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Ok, so apparently I need to get with the program on Vox.
January 20th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
wow!it takes strength to look into yourself and truley ask that question… am i good enough,can i make it.i think it takes stregnth to be honest and just wanted to let you know that i admire that strength that you have.its pure,its beautiful and that will take you to a place thats written on your heart.you definately have the strength in you.keep wanting and living a life thats fully alive,full you and the “hope of glory” will challenge people around you (like i am challanged) to give birth to life or beauthy or strength etc like in those movies you mensioned where they’re really living from their heart and as a result something great has come from it.
want that kind of life… living fully from my heart
January 22nd, 2006 at 3:29 pm
niza,
I share your shame, I have wrestled with this for years and it gets harder and more intense all the time. When Jesus called His disciples “they left everything and followed Him.” This verse, and many like it, haunt as well as thrill my soul. I want so much to do the same, yet I don’t. I feel more like the rich young ruler than a follower of Christ. What shall we do, niza?
What will we do?
January 23rd, 2006 at 4:42 pm
Niza,
Saw the film Friday night. Loooved it!
I still stand by what I wrote above; but I have to ask myself, especially as someone who does hope and plan to do missions work overseas during their lifetime: am I ready for this?
-Mel
January 23rd, 2006 at 7:24 pm
Niza -
I had a great time seeing “end of the spear’ with Alex - such a moving flick. Hope all is well! JVD
January 23rd, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Niza,
Thanks for the question… when we REALLY consider what it takes to sacrifice the truth can be hard to swallow. Especially if we realize we aren’t willing… I’ve been there way too often - I don’t like to admit it.
Partial answer — just start obeying. (This seems too simple but Tommy has hit the nail on the head. Respond and then keep responding to the Holy Spirit.)
My first real venture isn’t terribly brave (familiar person) but I’ll be going to http://www.trinitychurchonline.net/ mid-February to “support” the ministry that is happening in and around the Katrina disaster.
Folks I want to encourage you to check out Pastor Sprague’s emails and pray for him. I love his signature line — “Betting the Farm on God”.
I guess I strayed from the original comment but he may help inspire you.
January 24th, 2006 at 7:25 am
Niza,
I hear ya! I’ve already started the ball rolling. I’ve been dragging my feet for way to long (disobedience). I’m filling out an application to go on staff with Great Commission Ministries. I’m pushing 45, with 12 years of service in at UPS. This ministry position will require raising my own support to go full-time. This will be far and away the greatest challenge, that’s why I’m so thankful for our faithful Lord and Creator.
Can’t wait to see the movie. Small town Decorah may not get it, may have to travel to a larger town to see it. ROAD TRIP!!!
Thanks for the encouragement, and as someone once said;”Stay off the paved way!”
Andy
January 24th, 2006 at 10:44 am
N,
Just saw End of the Spear. Wow! A seemingly small detail caught my heart. Nate Saint is portrayed as having a sense of urgency about reaching the Wadoni.. but it’s not just from the usual motivation of living out the Great Commission. That is present but his passion also comes from a realization that these people are about to vanish from the planet. He seems to sense the power of the “right now”, that this moment might be the last opportunity.
I suppose if we are honest about human culture, the clock is ticking for us all… it just seems more obvious in times of famine, disease, genocide, etc.
I want to feel the same “panic” about my neighbors here in the Emerald City AND I want to feel like the people livng in crisis in others places are my neighbors.
That’s where I think God is taking me.
Peace and Courage
January 24th, 2006 at 1:16 pm
[…] (inspired by Niza’s post) […]
May 9th, 2006 at 11:46 am
I recomend you to read “A Course in Miracles”, if you want a PDF copy let me know.