...without a Reason

Last evening, a Chinese man - highly skilled as an interpreter and University English Professor - stood at our church Thanksgiving Dinner to share his feelings of thanks.  I was honestly unaware that the Chinese culture has no real concept of thanks, because there is no one to thank as there is no God to perform miracles or give gifts.  The second speaker, a Chinese woman, said the same.  And we learned from them that smiling outside one's intimate acquaintances was rare in their culture.

It is hard for us to imagine living in a culture where suspicion and craziness are assumed when someone smiles in public, especially for those of us raised in the friendly Southern culture.

The speakers also grew up with no concept of 'sin' because the Chinese word for sin is interpreted in their language as 'criminal'.  And they knew they were not criminals!

As each of these two speakers shared how they came to America to a better and safer life, they described the kindness and friendliness of all Americans...not necessarily associated with any faith.  In fact, they avoided Christian gatherings unless free Chinese food was involved!  Time passed and they became aware of the sincerity of the Believer's life and chose to become such themselves.  And each told the journey that led to their belief.

It was the man's sharing, in determining how he might procede with his life, that grabbed my heart.  He immagrated from China during the period of the Tiananmen Square crisis.  A friend alerted him to Nashville's need for translators.  He then acquired work, while still an atheist, at the Baptist publishing company in Nashville.  People were so friendly and they all smiled as a part of the work environment.  He noticed!  Of course they smiled...these Americans had a reason and it was to keep up the freindly atmosphere of work.  All day long his desk was filled with an English book, Chinese book, and the text he was hired to interpret...and everyone kept smiling.  Day after day he interpreted the Bible...week after week.  In time he became curious of a compelling feeling he began to have about the words he was interpreting...should he examine the meaning of the text he was busy with, or continue to see it as a string of single words to interpret in black and white print?  And so, he devised a test that would be put to the God of this Bible book of words.  In his still-Chinese thinking mind there had to be a test whose outcome would be convincing enough to lead him to a decision...and he devised this plan: If someone outside his acquaintance or work place, a total stranger, would give him 'one smile without a reason', he would begin to pursue the meaning, not just the words.

On his way home that day, he was greeted by a total stranger who extended to him a big, sincere smile...one smile without a reason.

While the rest is history, the story touched those of us listening.  How often have we heard the platitudes that we are the only Bible someone may read; or, one never knows who is observing our life, etc., etc. to boredom and with little real convincing.

But last night, the story and tears of a foreign man who entered our culture and decided  'one smile without a reason' was powerful enough to guide his life into meaningfulness, convinced me that I can smile no matter what the circumstances in my life.  I will not fail.

A smile is a cultural curiosity to many strangers in our land...with power to become a sign of hope.

And so it is.