The cat among the pigeons

We are currently living in a caravan park for long term residents. Most of the people who live here are down and out and unsaved. Life has been far from kind to them, and most are living on low incomes or pensions.

Not sure how long we will be here, we are slowly getting to know the people dwelling in mobile homes and caravans alongside us in our RV. To say that most are a little rough is an understatement.

Chris and I have had many conversations about how to handle the foul language and so on without alienating them. We do want to live peacefully here while Chris recovers from his surgeries and we catch our breath. We are both very tired. 

Now, even though these people are rough, we have had them over for tea and a chat and, as to be expected, the language can get pretty salty. The F word is a particular favourite one and it is dropped with no regard to a lady being present. 

We are letting it go because making an issue of language which they are used to, would have us ostracised, so we are not taking it on board. After all, how can we witness to them and give them hope if we come across as "holier than thou"?  How would they have the ability to ask us for a reason of the hope within us if we came across as prideful? 

To be honest, colourful language generally doesn't faze me. After all, it is just a lack of proper English expression, but when they blaspheme, it really gets to me. And blasphemy is as common as dropping the F word here.

They know we are Christians and they can see the picture of Jesus in our living area. It is no secret. Yet, as is common with unsaved people, taking the LORD'S Name in vain is still engaged in, and we think perhaps it is even more so than normally. We let it go.

"Why do you let it go?" you ask? Because God knows our heart. He knows how we esteem His Name and He knows that we believe that He has placed us here to be a light in a dark place. We are living in a place of no hope. Of poverty. Of unbelief. And like Jesus, we associate with these poor folk who are no different to us, except they don't know Jesus yet.

Speaking of salvation, we have discussed that we believe we are to show God's love to these people, live out our faith in a way that is not prideful, and help minister to and show respect for these folk. That is our priority.

We are sinners saved by grace. We are not the Holy Spirit. His work is to convict and woo these people- all the unsaved, not just those who live alongside us. Ours is to live out our life with authenticity so that it makes the love of God manifest to them.

Each time someone takes His Name in vain, I have to bite my tongue and keep silent. It takes a lot of prayer and quite a lot of strength. Some days it feels like they do it to get a rise from us, knowing that we are Christian. But love and acceptance will win out if it is God's Will that someone will come to know Christ through our witness.

Meanwhile, I simply bite my tongue, put the kettle on and offer a cuppa to what seems to us to be the cat among the pigeons.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1 Peter 3:15