Got Baggage?

As Americans, born in a country founded with Christian values most of us have had Christianity, if not in our lives, around our lives for most of our lives. I realize this is a generalization since i am from the Bible belt, but for the most part if someone wants religeon, it's not hard to find in the US.

That's not the case in Honduras. Where you can go through village after village where there is no church presence. I am not talking about a building, steeple and all, but rather a group of Christians who meet, worship, and commune together.

I am a rather conservative sort, prefering tradition, rules, and the proven norm. I will usually order chicken strips and a coke for a meal because i know it's always good. Worshiping in Honduras used to be a stretch for me. Lack of order, lack of a plan, dirt floors, nursing women everywhere you look, dogs sleeping under the chairs, no rules.

You know what, i now find worship down here quite refreshing. That the Christians don't bring baggage of tradition and rules with them. They don't know how many songs before the opening prayer. They don't know that you only pray about blessings during the offering, they don't know church has to be out at 11:00 AM, they don't know your dog is not supposed to accompany you to church, they don't know that 4 kids on a donkey's back to get to church is not acceptable, they don't know to go to the nursery to nurse.

Here's what they do know. Much like Lazarus they don't have anything in this world, but through Christ they have everything. They don't know they sing off key, they do know how to praise God with all their hearts. They don't know when church is supposed to end, they know how thankful they are to be together worshiping. I thank God for what they don't know down here. I wish i knew that much.