Stranger - Jason Hilgeman

When we are growing up, our parents tell us, “Don’t talk to strangers!” I remember being a little scared of strangers. I can’t remember the context, but it seems like we even watched videos or something that had this little phrase: “stranger danger.” In fact, I have never heard any kid say that when he grows up, he wants to be a stranger. Everyone else may be strangers, but I am not a stranger.

Living in a foreign country has given me the opportunity to think about what it means to be a stranger. Because although I never wanted to be one when I grew up, I have found that I am one right now. It has helped to illuminate some of the Biblical parallels. Consider:

Hebrews 11:13 - All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

1 Peter 1:1 - Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

1 Peter 1:17 - Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.

1 Peter 2:11 - Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

I don’t have to try and act like an American here in the Dominican. I am an American and it shows. Sometimes before I can even say a word… “Oh, Americano.” They know we are Americans, because we are strange.

The Lord has called us to be strangers. As I have reflected on our experience here, these are some principles I have been thinking about:

We have different values. Dominicans just value different things. Time, labor, protection from theft… For example, to buy bolts in America, I would run to Lowe’s go to the aisle, look at all kinds of bolts, I may even pick some up until I decided on the right bolts. Then I would take them to the self-scan and be out of the store fairly quickly, off to complete my task. Here, it takes work to drive, at least for me. When I get to the hardware store, I go to the counter where they have help with bolts, screws, etc. Take a number. Wait until my number is called. Then I try to describe what I need in Spanish and by playing the game Guesstures. The guy behind the counter then goes and gets what I want and offers to let me inspect all of whatever it is. I think I am probably strange in that I just tell them, “it’s OK” without much inspection. Then they write a little receipt and I am off to the cash register. At the cash register, I pay and am given three receipts which the cashier stamps “paid.” They go to the guy who is bagging what I just bought. He checks off each item and stamps all three receipts again and keeps one. Then I take the remaining two and drop one off with the guy at the door as one final check. Now back to the car and home. What would be about three minutes in the U.S. takes much longer here.

We have different priorities. As an American, I place getting things done as a high priority. It’s not that Dominicans do not want things to get done, but “mas tarde” or “mañana” are fairly common words. Relationships are important here and having them actually helps to get things done. I have been waiting for our internet to be fixed for more than three weeks with multiple attempts by a native Dominican to help. However, our friend here knew someone who works at the water company and so when we went to get our water hooked up, what we were told should take three days was accomplished in one afternoon.

We have different methods. From the first story above, you can see that the way things are done reflects an attempt to accomplish different values in different ways.

None of these things are good or bad necessarily. But it illustrates that who I am (an American) makes me strange in the Dominican Republic. I am a stranger. Something is not right about me fitting in here and it is more than just the things that I do and say, it is who I am. The truth is that I can become more and more like a Dominican, but I will never be a Dominican truly – I will always be an Americano.

With that background, meditate with me on the idea that we are to be strangers here on earth. I have been reborn – I am truly a citizen of heaven. As much as I act like an American, those values, priorities, etc. are not reflective of my true citizenship. I am in Christ and as one in Christ, the old “I” was put to death and there is now a new “I.” That new “I” is sourced in His life. These are facts. How much though do I live my life as if my American values are my values? Do I allow myself to consider that many of those values are contrary to who I now am? Have I found that Christ is my life?

To illustrate that further, His values, His priorities, His methods, etc. are based on the way things really are. So take your marriage. God has designed marriage to be a certain way. When we treat marriage that way, marriage is great. When marriage in thought, action, or intention, becomes something other than what it was created to be, it leads to hardship and heartbreak. Maybe you are struggling in your marriage though and so you determine to think the way that God thinks about marriage. The way I understand Scripture, you will still struggle. It would be like me determining that tomorrow I am going to wake up and think like a Dominican. It just won’t happen, because I am not a Dominican. The best intentions will only lead to frustration, because the problem is not in my efforts, the problem is deeper, it is who I am.

Instead, the answer is to see that Christ is now my life. Pick any area and learn from the Lord to think the way that He thinks about it. Allow Him to make the changes. Find Him to be strength. Don’t try to abide in Him, recognize that you do abide in Him. I can’t just be conformed, I must be transformed from the inside out! Trust someone who is trying to be different in a different culture…the kind of transformation that the Scripture talks about is nothing short of miraculous!