Find New People

Become a New Person

9 Years ago today…Rachel & Jiyune exchange students with us (and bear) on a trip to the rivers and redwoods of CA.

I want you to find new people. I want you to become a new person.

Reading through the Bible: I Samuel 10-12/Luke 9:37-62

Before you know it, the Spirit of God will come on you and you’ll be prophesying right along with them. And you’ll be transformed. You’ll be a new person! (I Samuel 10:6)

Samuel finds new people. Saul becomes a new person. Here’s how.

Finding new people sometimes requires that we step down (Think President Biden, although some would say he stepped down too late). Becoming a new person requires that we step out. (Think you)

Both the finding and the becoming require humility. Samuel has to admit that he is too old to do the work. Saul has to admit that he is too inexperienced to be ready for it.

Saul is the middle eastern version of tall, dark and handsome. He could be arrogant. Instead, he is cognizant. He cognizes that he is ill equipped. He acknowledges that he comes from the smallest of the tribes.

Saul is handsome. He is also humble. He is humble enough to listen attentively, first his father who tells him to go and find their donkeys. Then, to his young servant who tells him to stay at it. Finally, he listens to Samuel who counsels him on what he will need to do to become King.

Saul listens. Then, Saul conscientously and consistantly carries out his assigned tasks. He does exactly what Samuel tells him to do (I would have had to write it down and probably still would have forgetten some of the details).

First you’ll meet two men near Rachel’s Tomb. (Donkeys found-job done for his father). Then, you’ll arrive at the Oak of Tabor. There you’ll meet three men going up to worship God at Bethel…They’ll say, ‘Hello, how are you?’ and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept. Next you’ll run into a bunch of prophets…Before you know it, the Spirit of God will come on you and you’ll be prophesying right along with them.

Samuel promises Saul that after, not before, he has listened to and obeyed all of Samuel’s instructions to the letter, then Saul will…be a new person! (I Samuel 10)

Writing…

I pray daily that our President will become a new person. I suspect, however, that in the meantime-midterm, it may be more strategic to find some new people for Congress.

I still have hope for some to be renewed on both sides of the aisle. In the meantime-midterm elections, however, we must not lose the opportunity for some to be replaced.

Where will we find new politicians? We will have to do our Samuel research. We will need to start locally, with the people we know best, up close and personal.

We will need to look for humility rather than hubris. We must uncover people who will listen well to their constituents, rather than to their lobbyists. We must identify people who identify with we the people.

Building…

I want you to find new politicians. I also want you to find new people.

That’s where Rachel and Jiyune come in (see the picture of our exchange students). I want you to cross countries and cultures to find new people. I want you to immigrate towards immigrants, to navigate towards newcomers. I want you to welcome, rather than other, the other.

Finally, I want to include this encouragement. In the year that Rachel and Jiyune stay with us, we not only find new people. Better yet, we become new persons in the process.

I want you to find new people. You now know where. I want you to become a new person. You now know how.

Can you do both? You tell me.