Margins

Margins

Indonesia, like all developing countries, exists on razor thin margins. Despite its incredible progress economically, the margin between safety and injury is measured in centimeters, not crash test ratings (see picture below). The margin between mob rule and rule of law is one financial crash away (as happened within the last 10 years), the margin between life and death is a mosquito bite (our maid is gone for a week to bury a brother killed by Dengue fever). The margin between freedom and persecution in worship is a few miles (Last Sunday a seminary in East Jakarta was burned down, injuring dozens).

Traffic in Jakarta on a Sunday afternoon (taken from a taxi)

Margins in our lives are now different. In some ways, we have wider margins (higher economic status relative to the rest of this country, more respect in society, more purchasing power with our money, a very safe part of the city) but in some ways, we have the same razor thin margins listed above.

About a half a year ago, Pastor Rob Byker preached on gleaning, with one of the points being that God calls us in the blessed parts of our lives to cuts our fields wide, therefore leaving lots of grain in the fields for those in need.

We pray that where we have wide margins in Indonesia, we can cut them wide providing Light and Truth to those around us and we also pray that were we have thin margins we will trust in God’s providence to care for us.