Have you ever looked at a diamond or beautiful piece of jewelry in a store or online? If so, you might have noticed they are typically displayed on a black, felt cloth. There is a simple reason why jewelers do this.
Contrast!
The sparkle and beauty are seen more clearly when compared to the colorless cloth.
In the Balkans, a region in southeastern Europe above the Mediterranean Sea, we find a living example of contrast. Without finding fault or casting aspersions, a simple look at what is happening in the region will allow us to see quite the contrast.
In Kosovo, Members of Parliament, selected through a system in which citizens vote for political parties that then choose representation, have stood their ground instead of finding common ground. This lack of unity has prevented the election of a president, slowed progress, and hindered their ability to effectively serve the people they were elected to take care of.
Shifting our focus from government gridlock to the work of the body of Christ, we see a different picture. After nine years of vision and effort, a new church in Gjakova has recently been completed. It is a place of ministry serving a wide spectrum of needs. From single mothers to the forgotten elderly, the body of Christ is serving those around them.
In a nearby community, the church in Klina is imitating the outward focus of their brothers and sisters in Gjakova by reaching hundreds of children and holding multiple services throughout the week. There are many practical acts of love and compassion taking place to care for the daily needs of those who need help. Additionally, The Tide’s Albanian language radio program speaks the truth of God’s love in a predominantly Muslim community.
The Tide’s radio pastor and partners embrace opportunities to speak of God’s love and show it and, in doing so, shine brightly in what can seem like a bleak world.
When we as believers share the Gospel, choose service, give sacrificially and love unconditionally, we also shine. God uses the black felt cloth of chaos, disorder, and disagreement to serve as a backdrop for the beauty and radiance of His Bride, the Church.
Thank you for your partnership in the ministry, your prayers, your financial support and your volunteer service. You are a diamond, a treasured possession of God’s (Malachi 3:17) may you shine brilliantly and light the path for people to see Jesus.
