"I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together." The Importance of Community and the Golden Rule

The Golden Rule. Anyone raised in a church setting has been taught to "do unto others and you would have them do unto you" since they were teething on the toys in the church nursery. Sadly, this has not resulted in us practicing it well in the American church.

My friends of Montevideo are teaching me a valuable lesson. One that I by no means practice adequately, and may not my whole life, but hope to become better at. That is the lesson of sharing and putting others first.

Ronnie Rama, one of the wonderful ACU teachers on our trip who was raised in Uruguay, shared a popular Uruguayan tradition with me. He said that in Uruguay most people knock on the doors of houses with their feet rather than their fists. When I pressed him further about why people knock with their feet he said, "Because their hands are full. They have brought something to share with the people inside the house."

This is SO true of the people of Montevideo! They are continual givers. They care deeply for their friends and community. They meet the needs of the group as a whole before their own needs. My first day here, Ronnie treated us to cortados (amazing Uruguayan lattes) and panchos (hot dogs with a white mustard... like ball park franks on ridiculously delicious tasting steroids). I thought this act was strange, in a good way of course. The next day, one of our new friends, Martin, bought the group Coke and chips to share. Contrary to American custom, he never once mentioned "you owe me something the next time" or "this is only going to happen once so you better appreciate it."

It both amazes and saddens me that this country (with the highest rate of atheism in all of South America) practices the Golden Rule better than the American church. And I'm at the forefront of this terrible movement! I hope my time in Montevideo allows me to grow in my understanding of putting others first and giving. Because it is what we're called to do. And, honestly, isn't it all God's anyways?

Oh and, by the way, you owe me something for reading this blog...
Kidding! :)