(5th in
a series)
The Language of Love
John 15:1-7
Randy Pettit
Even with a
cursory glimpse or review of Haiti’s history one can glean that there has been
and still is a continuous thread of corruption and greed in the upper echelons
of the political power base. Slavery has been ever present on this tropical
island since Columbus literally stumbled upon it in Christmas of 1492. Thusly
he named the place he found “La Navidad”
and then his settlers turned around and forced the native Taino people into
slavery. Today almost 600 years later the Haitian people are still enslaved,
now by poverty.
How do we
apply today’s scripture to these people? To the untrained eye there is little
or no fruit here. To eyes of the world the deforested infertile land here is
not suitable for growing ragweed! I want to ask Abba, the vinedresser, “Why
these people”? I find myself searching for branches that bear fruit. Now I am
in the vineyard closer to the Vine. On the third day I saw four young men
already clean because of the Word spoken to them. These members of the “priesthood
of all believers” have been our interpreters. On a Saturday morning upon
arrival at the Haiti Deaf Academy their role changed.
We saw them
bear a glorious fully ripe and sweet fruit with the young children who, without
words, spoke the universal language of Christ, a quiet language of Love. As all
who were present joyfully remained in him and he in us, the young men, who at
first thought they could do nothing, suddenly were able to do everything in
service to these beautiful ones. It was a miracle, a beautiful thing. The teachers
became the students as the youngsters gleefully taught us all about sign
language. If the children could have spoken they might have said, “Se’ yon bil
bagay!”
Father may we be ever mindful that
none of us can bear fruit by ourselves. May we desire always to abide in your
precious Son. Amen
Bradford
Bosworth
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