Witnesses Unaware

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 2:3

Several years ago, ten members of the congregation I served at the time traveled with me  to Greece and Turkey. Joined by two other women who lived in Pennsylvania, two from Michigan, an Australian couple and a woman from Trinidad and Tobago, the eighteen of us spent ten days retracing the steps of the Apostle Paul. Most stops focused on events from his second missionary journey. When joined with visits to Patmos where John wrote the Book of Revelation and brief excursions to three other islands it made for a full experience in every way imaginable.

On the only Sunday of the trip, our group shared in worship on a ship as we traveled between Crete and Santorini. All eighteen of us were present along with Christiana, our guide. In addition to handling logistics for the entire tour, she had helped us understand the boarding and disembarking process, prepare us for each day’s schedule and answer questions about options once ashore. Christiana also had this amazing ability to get us off the ship at the front of the line each time we exited. I don’t know how she managed that, but if you ever travel with that tour company, be sure to request her as your guide!

When I mentioned to Christiana that I would like for us to have a place for worship, she remarked “You will need a place that is quiet” and then made arrangements for our use of the ship’s library. I had told the group the worship time was completely optional, thinking in particular of giving those who were not from our church freedom to join us afterwards. To my surprise, everyone, including Christiana, showed up.               

I began by reading selections from Scripture—mostly from the book of Acts—that recalled places we had seen on the trip and then asked the group to share the kinds of things that had struck them on our journey. Some spoke of how powerful it had been to see the prison where Paul had been incarcerated in Philippi or the cave where John received the visions that resulted in Revelation. Others expressed amazement over the great distances Paul had covered on foot and the hardship he had endured to share the Gospel. Someone else wondered if the Good News would have ever come this far west had Paul not left the confines of the Holy Land and journeyed to what is now Europe.  

Feeling that everyone who wanted to do so had offered their comments, I was just about to start our time of sharing in the Lord’s Supper when Christiana spoke up. Her message was brief, but heart-felt as with tears in her eyes she said, “I have felt and seen such peace in all of you during our time together. It has been a gift to me and I want to thank you all for it.” After communion we drew worship to a close and Christiana immediately left to finalize details about our shore excursion. Many of us remarked about how meaningful her words had been and were puzzled by what we had done for her to feel that way. 

Later that afternoon as we were about to re-board the ship, I thanked Christiana for her earlier comments and told her how grateful we were for what she had shared. She spoke of a Greek Orthodox priest in Athens she often called when life seemed to be getting out of kilter. “The peace I find in him,” she said “is what I have found with all of you.”  

Many of us have people like that in our lives. An individual who may never speak of her faith, but exudes a quiet spirituality.  Someone who would resist the label of “wise,” but always seems to get to the heart of every matter quickly. Or a person who stands firm against the pressures of this world to go along with the crowd, but resists in a way that we admire.

In writing to the church at Philippi, the Apostle Paul urged his readers to “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”  On this day, I invite you to identify the persons or people in your journey who embody that attribute.  The ones who is their own way give you a glimpse of Jesus just like our traveling party did for a Greek tour guide more than a decade ago.

And by the way, don’t be surprised if when others engage in that kind of reflection, the first person they think of is you.

Incarnate One, how fully you reflected the will and spirit of your father. On this day, I thank you for the people in my life’s journey who do the same.  Amen.