Day 4: Old Testament Narrative

August 22, 2012

Day 4: Old Testament Narrative

Today’s blog gives voice to the work of The Global Immersion Project. JD is an emerging difference maker from the San Francisco Bay Area who is giving all of himself to every moment of this experience. As you’ll read, God is faithfully forming JD into an influencer who leads not with assumptions but with curiosity and who is learning to live not in the posture of a hero but in the posture of a learner.

Today was an incredible day.

We experienced Masada, hiked the caves of Qumran, swam in the Dead Sea and exfoliated our skin in the famous “Dead Sea Mud”. We toured Jericho, ate ﬁgs at the base of Zacchaeus’ Sycamore, and navigated the same mountains pilgrims would have wandered on their way to Jeruselem (Psalm 122 check it out!). We’ve had some absolutely incredible opportunities- and as we have these unique and awesome experiences there remains the backdrop of the Israeli/Palistinian conﬂict.

Prior to coming here I had little (if any) clue of what was going on between the Israelis and Palestinians. The extent of my knowledge could be summed up in this comment: “There’s a lot of turbulence and volatility between the 2 people groups and I couldn’t tell you why.” Unfortunately, I still can’t tell you exactly why but what I can tell you is that I have made a shift from confusion/apathy, to curiosity/engagement.

The curiosity that has been born out of this experience is causing me to question how I unknowingly contribute positively and/or negatively to my communities: Local, National and Global. I’m wondering, unlike I ever have before, questions like: How am I developing and engaging in the development of the people around me? What else is going on in the world that I know nothing about? What are my news sources telling me and not telling me?

The longer I’m here, the more I realize that (for me) while understanding the conﬂict is important, it may not necessarily be the most important thing. The most important thing is for me to understand that the decisions I make have a positive or negative impact in the world around me.

I need to pay attention to that Impact.