Dude, Put a Shirt On!

The other day I had a couple of meetings in Curitiba (about 35 minutes away from where we live). So, I drove into town and met with a couple ministry partners, then drove back home, here, to the mountain. Most of the driving is “highway driving” which is great because it gave me some time to think. If it was city driving there’s no time to think because all that’s going through your mind is “Lord, please don’t let me die like this.” You see, if you’ve never driven in any city in Brazil they drive crazy. There’s no defensive driving it’s all offensive driving... and it’s every man for themselves. Stop signs are optional (literally), there are 2 cars (side-by-side) per single lane. Motorcycles drive in between cars, especially if they’re stopped. And the speed limit is only obeyed at places where there’s a traffic camera. So, to be able to drive on the highway is nice.

So there I was, driving home to the mountain, just thinking/meditating/chillin’... whatever term you want to use, when all of the sudden I looked over and on the side of the road was this guy. And he was hitch hiking. Not that unusual except for the fact that he looked like he could possibly be 8 or 9 months pregnant and he had no shirt on. Now I realize that guys can’t be pregnant but the size of this guy’s gut was enormous compared to the rest of his body. Not only that, but it was about 100 degrees outside so he was drenched in sweat. Then, to top it all off, he had a lit cigarette hanging out of his mouth (which, by-the-way isn’t good if you’re pregnant). The first thing that went through my mind (besides, there’s no way I’m picking-up this pregnant sweaty guy) was, “dude, put a shirt on and you’ll probably have a better chance of getting a ride.” I mean you’re covered with sweat and shirtless...not a very good way to try and get someone to pick you up. If there was ever a poster child for the “how NOT to get a ride hitch hiking” campaign, this was definitely the man for the job.

I wish I could give you a really spiritual story about how I pulled over and picked him up, gave him a towel to wipe his sweat off with, handed him a bottled water to quench his thirst, then I gave him a lift to wherever he was going... but that didn’t happen. I actually just drove by laughing and thinking to myself, “this guy’s never gonna get a ride like that!” Now in my defense, there have been times when I was prompted by the Lord to pick someone up on the side of the road and I did, but this wasn’t one of those times (thankfully, haha!).

But as I thought about that man and how unlikely it was that he would ever get anyone to pick him up like that (because of how he was perceived), I thought about how I might be perceived (by people who see me). No, I’m not hitch hiking and I’m not sitting here typing with no shirt on drenched in sweat with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. I’m talking about when people see me in town, or at the store or out on the property working... when they look at me, do they see someone who’s a good representation of the Gospel and of Christ? Or do people see someone who looks angry, frustrated or stressed-out? Because that’s the way I feel sometimes. All of us can put on the “christian happy face” when we’re at church or in “ministry mode,” right? But I think what matters more, is what people see when we’re not in some “official ministry” capacity and we’re just “doin’ life.” When we’re NOT at church or ministering somewhere, that’s where I want people to see Christ in me the most. When I’m interacting with my family, when I’m buying groceries, when I’m driving in traffic. Because if I’m wanting my life to be something that attracts people so that I can introduce them to Jesus, it (my life) can’t be the equivalent of that shirtless-sweaty-possibly with child-dude on the side of the road. It’s got to look like I really do know the God of Heaven and Earth. What about your life? How do you think it looks to people who see you in your everyday life?

“Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true

righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:24

Looking Good (hopefully),

Jim

PS - Here’s a quiz for you. What do you think that is in the dish MJ is holding (in the picture up top)?

A- A bowl of potpourri

B- Some kind of fancy Brazilian salad topping

c- The light fixture cover from our kitchen, filled with bug carcasses

If you guessed C, you are correct! That’s the light fixture cover that hangs over/under the lightbulb that’s in our kitchen! The thing fills-up quick after you clean it too! Emptying it out is a regular duty at the Dunn house. I haven’t posted any bug stuff lately, so I just wanted to show you guys that just because we don’t talk about bugs much anymore, we’re still dealing with it: )