Sexual Harassment

Just sitting down to dinner now after a full day at the kindergarten in Sanjo. It was a bit of a rough day, but there were also many blessings in the midst of it. The one incident today that sticks out most in my mind happened when I had just arrived at the station in Sanjo. I exited the bathroom at the same time as a group of young men and as I was walking a little ahead of them and could hear them talking. I realized they were calling out; trying to get my attention. They were saying something over and over- and I soon realized it was in English- it was the "f" word. I turned around and made eye contact with one of them. "F*ck you," he said in a very matter-of-fact tone. I continued walking forward and when I got to the train gate, I said sternly in Japanese, "Stop! You're really rude!" as I swiped my train pass. I could hear them mocking me as I walked out of the station. I cried a few tears behind my sunglasses- frustrated over the incident, frustrated over other situations of similar natures that I've encountered in my time living here, and tired of standing out and all of the negative things associated with it. Their words made me feel dirty and defiled.

But as I was walking to the kindergarten I was struck by the power of the truth that God loves these young men- and that as God does weep along-side us when we are hurting, how much more must He grieve for them because they don't know Him; they don't know His love; they are living so contrary to the way He intended them to live and the purposes He created them for as He knit them together in their mothers' wombs. Created in God's image and with the law written on their hearts, their fallen state has calloused over the revelation of that truth. Only in Christ can it be removed. It reminded me of another conversation I had recently with a Japanese teacher who is openly seeking God. She was relating to me the story of a student who kept asking her why things were bad- like murder, suicide, and stealing. Though she was certain these things were wrong, she was frustrated over her inability to articulate why. "It's not just because the school handbook says things are wrong that they are wrong; but I just don't know why." (This lead into a really good conversation, but it's too much to share in this blog.)

Romans 10:14-15 says, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

"Ahhh.... that's right. I'm actually here for these people," came the revelation. Rather than wanting to run from them, my frustrations, and this country I remembered that all of these things are why I'm here- why God brought me here. He's called me to be the light of the world, shining like starts holding out the word of truth, the salt of the earth, the fragrance of Christ- the aroma of death to those perishing and the aroma of life to those who are being saved, an ambassador for Christ and a minister of reconciliation, all things to all people, a foot-washer, a fisherman, a sower, more than a conqueror, transformed and not conformed, and He's called me His-own (among other things :) )

From this change of heart God enabled me to pray in genuineness and sincerity, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing. Make yourself known to them, and who they were created to be in You."