Dominoes & Christ

In my continued exploration of the Cuban culture that makes up most of my church family, I’ve discovered something new: their passion for Dominoes. They can spend hours playing!

We were at the beach yesterday afternoon, and I watched four people play. I observed as dotted tiles first connected to form lines, then spread outward to cover the table. Each team battled for dominance as points were calculated. And as they played, two friends explained the strategy behind each move.


It turns out that the game isn’t based on whim or preference, or even about which tile is the most convenient to use. Instead, they made it clear that they not only analyzed the board in regards to their own potential plays, but they had to keep an eye on their partner’s plays (and passes), and simultaneously remember which numbers were the opposing team’s strengths and weaknesses. All of it was done without even the appearance of concentration - they were talking throughout the whole game! (While this conversation did take place in Spanish, I’m going to go out on a limb and say at some point, I’m pretty darn sure there was trash talking...)


The more I saw, the more tactics and strategy I found. From the first move to the final clack of the last tile thrown down, strategy was imperative. But a few minutes later, another friend (a fellow non-Cuban like myself) walked up to us, and made a comment that she saw no real strategy behind the game – she saw pieces being randomly selected, placed down wherever and whenever they fit. No skill needed, just a game of chance...


My friend and I were watching the same game – but our outlooks could not have been more different. Where I saw intricacy, she saw simplicity; where I saw expert choreography in strategic planning, she saw guesswork and chance colliding.

One game – two very different outlooks.


As my friend walked away from the game, I started to think… Which of these outlooks do I take when viewing God?


Do I view life as a rainbow of chaos, with God simply dropping the Domino tiles of my life wherever they fall? Is He simply letting the pieces land where they will, leaving it to chance if everything works out in the end? Or, do I see Him behind everything that happens in life – in both the good and the bad, the great and the devastating? Do I see His plans and choreography in every snapshot of my life?

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:28 – 30)


“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

God isn’t just random. Each step is a carefully wrought – He chooses, calls, justifies… each moment planned with His wisdom and love for me at the front of His mind. He sanctifies, making me more like Him every day.


I love it, because it means that He is involved in every aspect of my life. There is a reassurance in that, because it means every moment is a step to becoming the righteous daughter God has already said I am.(1 Peter 2:9-10, Ephesians 1:4-6) But at the same time, it's hard, because it means that everything in my life happens because He allows it.


That means He allowed my mom’s brain aneurysm and near death last year - and He is working it for good. That means the events that forced me to start waitressing again is going to be worked out by God for good. Some hard things that are going on in the lives of friends and family will be worked out for good. It’s not whim or preference; it’s not just a game of chance. If all things are working together for the good of the ones who love Christ, He has a Strategy behind every move.


It wasn’t chance that had me working at a BBQ joint a few years back… it wasn’t luck that I managed to find the college that had everything I wanted, but didn’t yet know I needed… it wasn’t a fluke that I started taking an ASL class years ago… it wasn’t a twist of fate that Christ finally pierced my soul with His call and I became His. His hand lead to each pivotal moment that’s helped shape me into who I am. Expert choreography and intricacy, played out by the One who holds all the pieces in life is leading me to who I will someday be.


So as the game ended and I walked to the ocean to play in the waves, I realized that God’s strategy and planning didn’t just bring me to the current stage in my life: it brought me to the very beach that I stood on, to the very spot I watched Dominoes being played.


All things working together for good.


In Him,
Casey

Form And Meaning

Let me tell you about my afternoon. It was just awkward. I was sitting in a room, waiting for my Deaf client to arrive. I am the only non-Spanish speaker in the room. When I first came in, everyone had been pretty quiet, but after a few minutes, someone started telling a joke in Spanish…

At least, I think it was a joke. Judging by facial expressions, loud tones and wild gesturing (not to mention the riotous laughter that followed), I’d say it’s safe to say a joke was being told. For that moment, everyone in the room was united… except for me. I was left out because I didn’t understand the language. I knew a few words here and there, but not enough to make sense of it. I wanted to be involved – I wanted to know what caused everyone to smile, to laugh, to form community for the briefest moment… but I was excluded. I couldn’t understand, because of the form the message came in.

Flash back to a few weeks prior. I was sitting with another group of people. Another joke was being told, complete with the facial expressions, loud tones and wild gesturing, and I didn’t understand a word of it… until a friend interpreted the joke into a language I could understand. I was able to laugh along with them, to smile, to understand the message…

This afternoon when I was excluded, I didn’t think much about it. Maybe no one spoke English in the room; maybe no one could have interpreted for the girl who was CLEARLY confused and left out. But then I heard the woman who was sitting next to me start to speak in English. She had the ability to explain, and didn’t. I really didn’t mind in the slightest, but it did make me start to think: how often do I do that to people? I don’t mean jokes and conversation topics, but in terms of my faith. How often do I throw out phrases and words that are baffling to those outside of the faith, without explaining what I actually mean?

Let me give you an example. Suppose you had no church background and I told you I’d been “cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.” Be honest, you’d think I slaughtered a sheep in my backyard, and you’d probably think I was nuts. Or what if I said I was having my “quiet time” and struggling in “my walk.” Wouldn’t you think I’d taken a nap and was having mobility issues?

Within Christianity, we have a beautiful vocabulary. It’s rich, and weighty and deep… but when those who don’t know Christ hear those words, there must be confusion regarding what I’m talking about. I know there is, because I’ve asked some of my non-Christians friends, and they’ve all admitted to it.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…” 1 Peter 3:15

Certain words have rich meaning for me. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb – Christ literally dying for me, taking the punishment for my sin and giving me forgiveness in exchange; the way that I’ve been declared right in God’s eyes – not because of me – but because of the obedience of Jesus. Quiet time – a period of time that I’ve set aside to use for praying, reading my Bible, journaling, and engaging God. My walk – my relationship with God. That’s not a perfect explanation, but that is how I described it last week to the fourteen year old I mentor. (Oh, and am I the only one who hates the term "quiet time"? It sounds like a punishment, or something...)

Think of it like this: as a sign language interpreter, my profession requires that I understand what’s being said in one language, so I can alter the form of the message unto the second language. The message (the point of whatever was said) doesn’t change; only the form is altered. The message the Deaf person signs should be exactly the same as the one the hearing person will receive in English.

When I talk about Christ, I strive to be able to take the message, and by CHANGING THE FORM, make myself clear. Jesus related to the people in his culture by telling stories and using every-day examples, like when he told them stories about a woman sweeping her house to find a lost coin, or a guy sowing seeds in his field.

I have to be able to give an answer to everyone who asks me about the hope I have because of Christ. EVERYONE. Those who have a church vocabulary and those who don’t. Those who already have heard about Jesus and those who haven’t. I have to be able to explain who Jesus is to me.

Can you change the form of your words and explain it to others? Are you able to explain Christ without falling back on unclear phrases and clichés? I’m still figuring it out. All I know for sure is that I never want to talk about Christ and let the other person struggle because of the form of my message. I always want to be able to answer questions about the hope I have because of Jesus.

By the blood of the Lamb,*

Casey

*I gave an explanation, so I have no problem using it here! :-D