images of God

Most of the time this summer it was the Bengali people who showed humility, opening their homes to us (some were huge, some were hovels). People who had several graduate degrees were interested in our opinions, open to learning from strangers. People who had homes built of corrugated aluminum (one room for eight people) gave us the seat of honour when we visited, even if it was only the bed. They sent their children to buy crackers and Sprite, so they could be hospitable to us, even when they didn't have enough for themselves.

The thing was, we did not do anything to earn this, but they gave freely. To me, they were a picture of the ever-surprising grace of God. Only once in a while did we get a chance to be that surprise in return.

My friend Erma posted this really cool assignment for other bloggers a couple of weeks ago. The challenge was to post an image that reflects where you see God in the world.

It was hard to choose just one picture when all creation is declaring the glory of the LORD, but as I looked through some of my pictures from the past year, one really stood out. Naturally, it was one from my summer in South Asia:

This is Caleb, one of my Global Urban Trek teammates with one of the students at a Salvation Army school in Dhaka, where five members of our team were placed. About half of the students at the school were blind and the others were sighted. This picture was taken on the last day my teammates spent at the school.

One of our focus passages for the trip was Philippians 2:1-11, which begins:

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ,

if any comfort from his love,

if any fellowship with the Spirit,

if any tenderness and compassion,

then make my joy complete by

being like-minded,

having the same love,

being one in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,

but in humility

consider others

better

than yourselves.