Being a foreigner in another country is not always an easy task. Sometimes you can fit in with the local customs, blending and rolling with whatever comes along. In other places, India for example, the challenge becomes apparent early on.
First, everything about your appearance and behavior talks. You dress differently, walk in ways that are not familiar, and carry more money in your pockets than most of the people you pass by on the street earn in a month or even a year.
Second, you are what most people would like to become. The attractions of western society creep into the most remote regions of the world. Nike jackets and shoes are worn by kids wanting to be up with the latest fashions. English football jerseys are worn proudly, although I find myself lost as to why anyone would or could root for Manchester United! Whatever the imagination might bring, by coming as a foreigner one is, at least in some lands, it comes with you.
Third, the complexities of surviving in some countries gives one an edge in solving basic problems where live occurs on a more basic level. Business alternatives are weighed through the same type of analysis; people, numbers, and idea evaluations. Decisions are taken in similar ways.
The challenge is obvious yet often lost as one takes one step after another. Because one represents what people aspire to, you come in at the top of the heap. You begin to believe that everything is as you always hoped it would be. Your opinions are valued. Your presence is desired. Your handshake sought after.
The trouble is that your soul is just as it was before you came to this country. Weaknesses, tendencies, and failings all remain. The blunt reality is that it is “first pride, then the crash – the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.” (Proverbs 16.18)
There is only one top of the pyramid, and the good news is that it is not either you or I. God is it; question is do I realize where I stand?
