Daily Thoughts “My Light”

Isaiah 60: 1 Arise, shine;

For your light has come!

And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.

2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,

And deep darkness the people;

But the LORD will arise over you,

And His glory will be seen upon you.

3 The Gentiles shall come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see:

They all gather together, they come to you;

Your sons shall come from afar,

And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

5 Then you shall see and become radiant,

And your heart shall swell with joy;

Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,

The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

As I read this morning I begin to understand that darkness, deep darkness is what covers the earth. The strong man oppressing Peru is not a lack of men; it is a strong man of Machismo and Matriarchy. Let me explain

When the Spaniards came over to Latin America it was not a migration full of families coming over together to start a new life, it was a conquest and for 200 plus years all that came over to this land were men. What began to be a common thing is that the men would kill the Indian men and then begin to have relations with the Indian women. Because the children being born of these relations would be despised of their fathers and rejected of their fathers they would come under the protection of their mothers. The children being left without a father would grow up only being cared for by a mother. So as it continued for over 200 years those children boys would grow up and instead of defending their mothers would actually reproduce what their Spanish conquistador fathers would do. This vicious cycle of conquest would make the men reproduce a machismo attitude that would enjoy the pleasure but would never take the responsibility of a father. This epidemic today is evident all over Latin America. Boys are not raised by a father but instead a mother takes all the Responsibility. It is evident on the streets and in the church. The men do not hang out with their sons, the moms or even in most dual working families the female maids take care of them.

I am so privileged to grow up in a church that has actually began to reverse the curse of fatherlessness. I was mentoring my timothy yesterday and as I was sharing with him our vision and mission here it became evident how we should see this work. We are ambassadors not only of Christ but our spiritual father and family back home. We came as Acts 17: 6 “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” How evident it is that we bring something that is so foreign even to Christians here. The Fathers affirmation! I have had the opportunity to affirm about 4 men here so far and they are sticking to me like nothing before. They don't receive it, that’s why they don't do it, and that’s why they don't reproduce it