Hiding in Plain Sight

         Sometimes what we really need in life is a good hearty belly laugh. God designed humans to live in community. “It was not good for Adam to be alone”. Satan has a way of speaking to our insecurities, hurt, and worry in times of isolation. It was in isolation that Satan tempted Jesus for 40 days. Even the proverbs speak of the wisdom in a multitude of counselors.

         There was a season in my life fraught with deep depression that stemmed from isolation. But it’s not like I was alone, out in the woods without any human contact. Very often the loneliest place is hiding among the crowd. I lacked deep connections of fellowship with other people. God turned my life around by introducing me to a group of Christian friends that loved me even in the messy moments. They provided me opportunities to love them as Christ was showing me love.

         Now imagine how many people are hiding in plain sight like this in the world’s largest city! Japan’s culture is gridlocked. If you don’t fit into society, society forces you to hide in plain sight. One statistic reads that in Tokyo alone, there’s a suicide every six minutes. Let that sink in. So many different parts about the way life is structured in Japan lend itself to a life of solitude. Restaurants where you eat alone. No talking on public transportation. A grueling work life that leaves little time for outside activities. The sheer overwhelming size of Tokyo’s 14 million inhabitants make it feel like you are falling through the cracks of time.

         When foreign missionaries go to Japan, we force a little breathing room into that cultural gridlock. I can’t fit into Japanese culture no matter how hard I try. But living with the freedom Christ gives us despite not fitting in, we present a place to belong for locals that also don’t traditionally fit in. Sometimes, it only takes a little intentionality to reach out to those hiding in plain sight.