I’m sure many of you know what it’s like to have to start at a new school. It’s especially scary when you can’t even understand what people are saying. My family had immigrated to this country in April, 1969. By September, I understood some English, but I still had a lot to learn. I'll never forget my 2nd grade teacher that year, Mrs. Dix. She took me on as her special project. While the rest of the class worked on an assignment, she put her arms around my shoulders and led me to the back of the class and taught me how to read English. She never allowed me to feel inferior to the rest of the class. When I had read through my first book of "Dick and Jane," she had me stand and read a portion of the book to the class. As I finished reading the last line, the entire class of about 25 students stood and gave me a standing ovation. I smiled at my classmates and my heart just about burst with joy, not so much because of my accomplishment, but because I felt like I belonged.When I'm around nonbelievers or when I watch T.V., it doesn’t take long before I feel like I’m a foreigner in this world. Their views about life are contrary to God’s Word. The Bible says, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:19)
Christians are citizens of God’s Kingdom (Eph. 2:19) and not the kingdom of this World. I’m most at home when I fellowship with other believers and worship God with them or when I enter my prayer closet to spend time alone with God. Like Mrs. Dix, the Holy Spirit wraps His arms around me and leads me to the altar for some one-on-one time with Him. I’m God’s special project that He’s working on. Yes, we have to remain foreigners in this World until God comes to take us home. But spending time alone with God and fellowshipping with other believers gives us a place where we belong. Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
