Our True Home

by Leslie

this is where I spoke to the Italian salesman in Italianish, (or was it Engliano?)

Well, our time in Italy is almost ½ over… In some ways it seems like we have been here forever, and in others as if we have just arrived. I am still struggling to speak and understand the language, but thankfully God is giving me grace upon grace as I wander through the confusing maze of this culture. In the process, I am learning to fix my eyes on my eternal home.

Just this morning I got to have another new experience. Trying to get over jetlag, I had just gotten up and was making coffee when the doorbell rang. There was a young man standing at my gate with a badge and a notebook which might have meant a delivery of our long-awaited mail from the USA. Although I was still in my pajamas (at 11 AM!!) I answered the door. He immediately began talking to me in rapid-fire Italian… to which I gave my usual response:

“Per favore, piano, piano… Non parlo bene Italiano.” So, he spoke more slowly – alas, I STILL didn’t get what he was trying to say. (SO frustrating for me!!) Then he said the magic words, “I speak English.” Ahhhh, thank you!! In slow, measured words he tried to explain his reason for being at my door.

(Here, I have to tell you that my compassion for non-english speakers has increased a thousand fold. I have first hand experience with how it feels to try to communicate in a language not my own!)

I listened with amusement as he picked through his sales pitch using his limited English vocabulary, throwing in some Italian words when he couldn’t come up with the English – I do this every day in trying to communicate the simplest things in Italian. He explained to me that I was being charged too much for my utilities and that I only needed to sign some form and the company would lower my payment. I was wondering why they don’t just lower my payment, but reminded myself that this is Italy and they do everything differently.

Thinking through his pitch, I started to wonder if in fact what he wanted me to do was switch companies. But when I tried to ask him this he kept assuring me that it was not like that… and that I should just sign. Hmmmm. These are the times when I feel like a child because I cannot discern what is REALLY being asked of me and I start to feel taken advantage of. Thankfully, we have an amazing landlady who almost always answers her cell phone, so I called Marzia. She spoke to the man and then told me that it wasn’t a good deal. Grateful for her advice, I sent the Enel man on his way.

This is just a snapshot of the kinds of things that go on every day… the strange balance between feeling completely inept, and knowing that these trials are making me SO much more dependent on God. He is giving me a very clear understanding of what it means to be “Not of this world.” I am a stranger here – and He is reminding me that I am also a stranger in this world because heaven is my true home. I am thankful for how He daily gives me reminders of this truth.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." 1 Pet. 2:9-12

In Our True Home we will worship with people:

"...from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Rev. 7:9b-10

and

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” Rev. 5:12