The Fosters

(From the Fosters’ Forum Summer 2009) “If you want something done right, do it yourself!” I loathe that statement but I find myself subscribing to the idea at a level far below my own consciousness. It’s only in hindsight that I recognize it but when I see this tendency within myself it scares me.

I like to think of myself as the go to guy, a mover and a shaker, a person who makes things happen—and then ultimately gets them done. I’m not afraid to grab the bull by the horns and step up to the plate.

Do these idioms sound familiar to you? Do they describe you? If so then consider yourself warned: you walk a very fine line between good and evil; between patience and pride! It’s an attitude that I have a love/hate relationship with in that it seems appealing to be someone who can be counted on but I’m all too aware of the dangers of taking matters into my own hands.

Abraham and Sarah thought they needed to take matters into their own hands and so they called upon Hagar. Moses thought he needed to take matters into his own hands when he decided to kill the Egyptian. The Israelites felt they needed to get the show on the road and built an idol when Moses was too long up on Mt. Sinai. Saul couldn’t wait a single week for Samuel when he decided that he should assume the priestly duties. All of these actions have two things in common: first, they involved people who thought they knew what was best—even more so than God, and secondly, they had devastating consequences that changed the course of people’s lives and history forever. Have you ever wondered how different the religious landscape of the world might look today had Abraham waited for God to fulfill His promise to him and Sarah?!

Despite my intimate knowledge, however, with the dangers of taking matters into my own hands, I find myself constantly having to push against a tide of obstacles in order to do the work that God has called me to do. I’m not aware of many ministry successes that come easily! After all, didn’t God Himself, in the same breath he told Joshua that he would never leave nor forsake him, also tell him to be strong and courageous?! So where is the balance?

After I graduated from Bible college in 1992, I knew exactly that I wanted to serve God in Bible translation work for minority language groups. I had my calling and I had my vision. If my life could be marked by the translation of God’s Word for an entire people group that had never had it before, then my life would have had purpose and great value. I was ready to carry on with further training in linguistics and head out on the mission field. But God had a different plan…

I would work for seven years in pastoral ministry before going back to school and then I would spend another four years in University! I argued with God, I wrestled with God, I yelled at God. As each year passed, the vision felt further and further away. All the while I wondered, “How can God’s delaying of my going to the mission field possibly make sense?” I made several attempts to go overseas on my own and fell flat on my face every time. Looking back now, I am so grateful!

In just a few weeks, Ranette and I and our boys will head to Canada for our second furlough. As I look back over our first five years on the mission field, I’m speechless. Our work in the Mbeya-Iringa Language Cluster Project and now the Mara Language Cluster project has seen translation work begin in 18 languages spoken by well over 4 million people. This far exceeds my vision to translate for just one language community.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 tells us that patience is better than pride. If these are opposites then one means trusting in God while the other means trusting in self. Perhaps the answer to my question about balance lies here!