!!Disclaimer!!
Please note the following account reviews a simulated, role play scenario intended to help the interns to raise our world awareness and discover “what could happen if” an oppressive government overran the internship. The guns were paintball guns and no one really suffered or was exposed to actual serious health risks. We were mostly stripped of common privileges and exposed to minimal refugee circumstances. If you find yourself disapproving my account, please be aware that these are the thoughts of a 20 year old girl who had been running around and hiding in the woods during summertime for three days with little to no sleep, a diet consisting of rice, and a raw potato and being exposed to documentaries of .the current oversea situations regarding massacres, sex slave trade and the radical Muslim teachings and goals for destroying America.
My Personal Journey Throughout the
World Awareness LTE
I should have: seen them through the eyes of love.
The government overthrew our leader David Haasz and invaded our auditorium, hiding behind their guns and paying tributes toward their flag in an unknown tongue, knees bowed and head to the floor. They unwillingly removed many of my fellow interns to be put in re-education training (a.k.a. brainwashing), forced labor camps and jail for the sick and injured. I must admit, at that moment my heart openly embraced a tidal wave of sins: offense, anxiety, and rebellion towards these people, not the powers at work through them.
I should have looked at them with compassion, seeing them as hurting/misguided human beings. I should have assembled a mass apology on behalf of the Christian claimers for the Pharisee like fashion in which we “Christians” have not upheld that very standard which we judged and rejected them which ignited their hatred towards us in the first place I should have spoken to the King and Queen inside each of them, acknowledging their potential through their loyalty to their leader, their excellence with which they carried themselves and tended to their belongings, also my admiration toward their prompt diligence in the tasks administered to them.
I should have seen these things and sought to call out this potential for Christ.
I should have: believed in myself.
While in the refugee camp, I felt very purposeless and of no significance; I felt like just another dirty sheep in the herd, one of the hundreds of similar dark figures huddled on the red dirt stained tarp under a cold, dark sky. I felt homeless, completely dependant, like a burden rather than a blessing, something that needed to be tended to, fed, clothed, advised and directed on what even my own safety hinged upon. Hunted because of the arrogant, hypocritical, superior and judgmental impressions imparted by those who claim to belong to and represent my kingdom. Would I be willing to abandon my pride, clean teeth and warm bed just to submit, respect and serve my enemies with a cheerful heart? My captors, those who demean my faith, insult my lifestyle, shoot paintballs at me and yes, even deny me the right to toothpaste! This was the real testing of whether or not I could really love people like Jesus did.
The idea of fighting back didn’t seem to fly with my fellow antiradical, turn the other cheek refugee’s. But come on, what’s more important: fighting for the greater good, defending our God given land so we can continue liberating the hundreds of thousands of hopeless teens we had been; or, was it better to be submissive and try to “LOVE” the government into salvation and freedom? The problem was, they wouldn’t listen to anything we had to say anyway. They clearly just wanted us dead, and had already begun with those already captured,,, hmm? It seemed to me that this decision needed to take a lot more into consideration in order to make that call. I guess that’s were wisdom and discernment come into play.
Jesus was not a passive person, he did not allow people to blaspheme and disrespect his father. He established truth. Jesus never doubted that God would make bread fall from the sky if he had to in order for Jesus to not have to steal to survive. He knew when to use justice and when to humble and submit himself. Let’s compare “we” the followers of Christ with the “we” in this moment. My people were scared… This was not a body of people filled with the spirit of power, love and a sound mind which they assumed just hours before. My people were divided… full of scorn and torn between the two attributes of Humility vs. Justice like a baby Christian would divide the Old and New Testament.
As I considered the circumstances it just started to make sense to me. What were we doing?! Better yet, what weren’t we doing? There were so many of us and so few of them, why would we submit_ Because they had captured out leader? Some claimed that the new government was now our authority and we should submit to God given authority… Wicked men who do not flinch at the power of The Almighty, and require the compromise of our faith and loyalty to Him? No way! I had pledged my allegiance to a different King and His Kingdom. I knew instinctively what role I was meant to be playing; unifying, inspiring and mobilizing the interns. I wanted a revolution, but I wasn’t on the counsel, who would listen to me? If God really wanted me to take this position, he would have to make people want to hear. He would have to perk their ears and funnel my mouth to effectively communicate the hurricane of thoughts inside me. ….
I should have: known how to balance Justice and Humility
I abruptly and unpleasantly learned that once you become pinned as “someone with an answer”; realize that you have officially stamped a red target on your forehead as someone who is assumed to have more of them-- confrontations of moral conflict. Where is the line when even the ability to eat requires breaking God’s commands? Do I really have faith that God will provide without needing to steal? Where is the line when you must kill in order to keep yourself and others from being killed? Now, all of a sudden, the heavy yokes of likely blame for lives and souls, are on your womanly shoulders…? These are the wages of war. How much faith will it require to hold to the Word I say I believe, to never compromise? Justice vs. Humility or some point of wisdom in between…
What would you do? Sure enough, obedience in faith always proves itself through to completion. After I had fulfilled what I personally was convicted of, God took it from there. He united the minds and spirits of his people as we remembered WHO and WHOSE we were. The LTE ended with an anointed and convincing negotiation between the president and our counsel. But, being spiritually and mentally prepared for the worst was where the true maturing, spiritual growth and moral convictions rooted themselves in rock.
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