A Lighthouse and Missionary Myths

Our trek to the Kilauea Lighthouse offered amazing views. I could see the path where the light faithfully skipped across the waves offering hope to fearful sailors. The beauty of this garden isle nestled up against the ocean reminded me of Heaven.Rock solid, this lonely Kauai landmark spoke to me of the steadfastness of the missionaries who came to Hawaii to bring the gospel.Strong. Enduring. Brave enough to leave the familiar for the unfamiliar. Risky enough that they knew they might never see their families again. But still the missionaries came.The gospel took hold. The Hawaiians responded.

But not everyone agrees

Our guide on the beautiful Na Pali Coast boat tour we took wouldn't have agreed with me. As he weaved our boat in and out of water caves and let us snorkel underneath breathtaking vistas, he told the story of Kauai ... at least his version of it.By the time he finished with his comments, you would have thought the missionaries were the cause of all the bad things that happened to the native Hawaiians.Sure, the missionaries weren't perfect. As I recall they were human ... in process of becoming like Christ. Much like you and me.And because my husband is a historian and lover of truth, Tom checked out two websites that gave a balanced view of early Hawaiian missionaries when we got back to our cottage: History of Hawaii and Author Takes on "Missionary Myths."I thought you might appreciate the read. I did.

What did I learn from this experience?

I learned that your legacy can be missed by those who aren't looking for it or don't agree with your message.And I learned that it doesn't matter if they miss it. I'm not in this Holy Spirit adventure for the recognition and neither are you. You're in for Jesus.And those who know you won't miss your legacy as you shine His light into the darkness of their journey.Aloha,Susan