Choosing Between Two Evils

Sunset on the islands

Megan has been reading a book lately, a collection of writings by Charles G. Finney, the great preacher and abolitionist.  He understood the realities of slavery in the US and railed against it, but he also realized that many were living in different forms of slavery. Finney wrote in 1839…

“To be obliged to choose against our feelings and inclinations—to be shut up to the necessity of pursuing a course of life not chosen for its own sake, but as the last of two evils— it is the very essence of slavery…But true liberty consists in the privilege of choosing and pursuing that course which is preferred for its own sake—that course of life in which our whole moral being will harmonize, where violence is done to no law of the mind.” (Finney, Charles G, The Promise of the Holy Spirit, compiled and edited by Timothy L. Smith, Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1980, p. 62-63)

There is great wisdom in this statement.  The two options for a slave in 1839 were to work as a slave or risk being beaten/killed, two evils. But truly, Finney is onto something much broader, for there are many forms of slavery, and many choices in our lives in which the choices are simply a decision between bad and worse.  This is often exacerbated by our economic and social standing in society.  And while this isn’t the same situation that Finney was discussing, his words came to mind as I listened to the story of an old friend who has suddenly come back into our life.

Guys night out

The last time I saw Arshi was in 2014.  He was a new brother, young and inexperienced, immature, and prone to unwise decisions.  It was at this time he decided to search for a better life by leaving Clove Island and becoming an illegal immigrant.  I did not agree with his decision at the time, but it happened, and except for an occasional phone message, Arshi was no longer part of my life.  But I did hear about him from friends.  You see, even though he was an illegal immigrant, his new home offered him some freedoms and liberties that are much harder to come by on Clove Island, and so during the past five years, Arshi has been growing, and from what I’m told, he’s been growing a lot.  He has a young wife who has been growing alongside him.  Over the course of the past few years, they began to have children.  He has a little boy and the new one is due to arrive in just a few months.  And then it happened.

About two weeks ago, Arshi was picked up by the immigration police and deported back to Clove Island.  And now he is here.  What should he do?  As he explained to me his situation—his desire is to be back with his seven-months pregnant wife and little child.  His desire is to honor God and not to lie, cheat or steal. And most likely it is impossible for him to enter his home of the past five years by any legal means. So I found myself reflecting on Finney’s words.  Poverty and politics are stacked against him.  He is in some sense, stuck by a system that would require him to choose between two evils.  What will he choose?  I do not know.  What should he choose?  I don’t know that either.

But I do know that there is one who makes a way.  I encouraged Arshi to put his trust in Him.  The day Arshi came to my house, I had just been reading in 1 Samuel, when Saul, seeing his army melting away and the enemy at his doorstep and Samuel not showing up, makes a choice between what he sees as the lesser of two evils:   doing the sacrifice himself (evil option A) or the army deserting (evil option B).  But then Samuel shows up and says that Saul has made the wrong choice.  There was a third option.  He could have sought the one who makes a way. But Saul never did this.

So we talked about seeking the one who makes a way and not looking for our own way.  And then we sought Him together.  I do not know what way will open up for Arshi.  But I know there is one who can make a way and I know He can be trusted.  Arshi has matured a lot in the past few years.  I am praying that Arshi will trust Him now.  I hope you will too.

Tom's guitar class

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We are thankful for the growth and maturity we see in Arshi. We were blessed by the visit of a couple of workers that served on this island over 20 years ago. It was encouraging to hear their stories and to see how God has moved since then. We are thankful that two island sister from our island were able to go and encourage sisters on another island. Our island sister who works on the translation work and was having such horrible pain each month and looking to travel for treatment, is doing much better— we praise God and hope that full healing has happened.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Many on the islands are in situations like Arshi, pray that they might find freedom and clear ways forward. We’ve heard a couple discouraging stories about island sisters being caught up in bad relationships with men and now finding themselves in very difficult situations where they are at the mercy of their husbands/boyfriends. Pray for people to come alongside them who can guide them well, giving encouragement and challenge as it is needed and that God would provide ways forward for them and their children. Pray for the men in their lives as well that their hearts would be softened and that they would have compassion. Pray for our kids as they transition back to local island school after the two week break between trimesters. One of our colleagues is coming this week to do a second vision trip in the hopes of working on our island starting next year. Pray that the logistics of the trip would go well but that there would also be a clear vision of what expanding the work on our island looks like (there are several possible models that we are praying about). Pray that even on the trip she would have opportunities to share.