Playing Charades

Charades is a great game. Especially if you play it with people that are willing to risk looking a little foolish to have a bit of fun. Masters of the game know how to contort their bodies and faces into inhuman positions in attempt to resemble whatever it is that is written on their card. The expectant teammates frantically yell out words hoping that one of them will lead to the right answer. Thrill and excitement ensues when someone guesses correctly and part of the puzzle is solved. "Ok, second word... sounds like..." and the game carries on!

When you are prohibited from speaking, communication suddenly becomes a whole different exercise. Have you ever thought what life would be like if communication was limited to hand gestures and a few befuddled noises? Those of you who have ever struggled with language barriers know exactly what I'm talking about. The few words that you know become your lifelines in trying to express the other ten words you want to communicate. When a person talks you have to listen carefully for any fraction of a word that sounds familiar. You focus on hand gestures and body language. A quick roll of the eyes or a slight movement of the hand could give you a clue to the puzzle.

Over the last four months I have become very good at playing this game. I play it constantly when my Czech friends try to explain a new English word to me. They start gesturing with their hands trying to form it's shape in midair. I begin to laugh when they make noises in attempt to imitate its sound. "It's about this big... it has feathers... and sounds like a dying cat..." "Peacock!"

I've noticed the more I play the game the better my observational skills become. I love observing my friends while they are having a conversation in Czech. As I stand by and watch, I can usually figure out what they're talking about. I then love joining the conversation just to see the look on their faces. They stand there looking at me, eyes wide and jaws dropped to the floor. I just look back at them with a playful smile. They now like to test me in my understanding. Just a few days ago I stood in the dining room and observed several people having different discussions around me. After everyone was done talking a friend turned to me and asked what I thought they had talked about. I went from one person to the next describing everyone's conversation. They laughed in amusement and told me to keep up the good work.

I wish God was just as easy to read...

I sometimes see my relationship with God as a big game of Charades. I'm waiting to catch a glimpse of a hand gesture, a flicker of the eye, anything that tells me what direction He has laid out for me. He has given me plenty of signs, I just need to look for them. Exhilaration comes when He gives me confirmation of a right decision. But brokenness is felt when I realize I have made a wrong one.

Bumps in the road are equally hard to face. They might not always be a wrong decision, but it's still hard to accept God's change in direction. I had to face this just last week. God has changed my direction for this trip in a big way. I will be spending four months in England starting in July, and spending less time in Greece. England was nowhere in my plans before I left, but it's now written on my itinerary in bold letters. But God has taught me that with every bad decision and every bump in the road, He is still leading me in the right direction.

God had to take me through the process of accepting this redirection, and it was a bit painful. My sin was unearthed, and I was forced to face it's ugly head with my eyes wide open. There is nothing worse than admitting sin that you have tried hiding behind righteous motives. "I am serving you, Lord. Why can't you let me serve you where I want, and in the way I want?"

While dealing with my sin, I was reminded of a sermon I heard once that was about how we love God. The pastor made a point that I haven't been able to forget. Why do we always try to love God the way we want to be loved? It is like a wife trying to love her husband by sending him a bouquet of her favorite flowers and a box of her favorite chocolates. It sounds ridiculous, but we somehow think we can love God that way. "God, I know the Bible tells me that You are shown love in obedience, but how about I serve a few extra hours in the church instead?" Just as a wife must learn and understand how her husband wants to be loved we must learn how God wants to be loved. That is how we can show Him our true devotion.

I had to recognize my own self-righteousness last week, and love God in obedience. But you know what? God has mercifully given me joy in His new plan. Because that's what it really is. It's His plan. I am merely a traveller on His road. If He wants to take a hard right then I know it's for my own good. I just have to choose to love Him enough to take the turn with Him.