Together

We’re just wrapping up an Annual Inspection on one of JAARS’ planes in Porto Velho.  I've enjoyed the change in scenery as well as getting to know one of our other bases of operation.  JAARS, as some of you may know, is Wycliffe Bible Translator’s aviation service; I spent 5 weeks at their headquarters in NC getting some training back in 2014. 

Porto Velho is a unique base because it is a shared partnership between Asas, our aviation ministry, and JAARS.  JAARS flies a land plan and we fly a floatplane, both Cessna 206s.  So no matter the need of the missionaries, together we can meet the need.  We share costs on a hangar, office, tools, etc. 

I have to admit I've spent too much time in the evenings this week reading about the US election results and what that means for the future of our country.  What is certainly clear is that our country is divided.  It’s easy to get caught up in who’s side is right and to focus on differences. But when we choose to make it about "us vs. them", we are all worse off, both sides are weaker.

I have found it refreshing this week, working side by side fellow missionaries from another mission, towards a common goal.  Obviously our differences are trivial compared to that between the average HRC supporter and Trump supporter, but you'd be surprised what small differences can grow into insurmountable chasms.  Maybe there is a reason that finding common ground helps heals the differences.  It seems working together forces us to focus on our common goals rather than our distinctives.  Maybe that is what the writer of Ephesians was getting at with the admonition of “bearing with one another in love".  Eugene Peterson seems to capture the idea perfectly in The Message, "pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences."

A pretty tall order in today's cultural climate, but one the Church desperately needs to model.