ACT IN IGNORANCE NO MORE by Robert Soto

ACT IN IGNORANCE NO MORE by Robert Soto

February 7, 2010

Acts 3:17-18 "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer."

A few days ago I was talking to a good Indian friend that lives about seven hours up the road. We do not see each other often but he calls me from time to time to see how I am doing. We were talking about ignorance and how there is no excuse for it. He told me about once when he was at a pow wow where a good friend of ours was the Master of Ceremonies. The MC was speaking and issued an invitation to the audience, saying: "If you don't know, ask." You would be amazed how many problems would be solved if a person just asked. You would be surprised at how many relationships would end up a good way if a person would just ask. You would be surprised how many misunderstandings would be resolved if one would just seek to discover why the other person is or was doing what they were doing.

When early Christianity came to our land, those early settlers walked into our villages, looked around and then concluded, "No Church - no God." It was this misunderstanding that caused many a war and hatred of each other simply because they never asked why we did what we did. If they had simply asked if we believed in the One True God and Creator, things might have been different. Or if the intruders into our land would have asked the host people why we did what we did, it might have cleared up many of those misunderstandings of our culture and beliefs. It was Dr. Luke who wrote, "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold..." There is no reason to act in ignorance as did your ancestors of times past. If you do not understand who we are and why we do what we do, please take the time to ask and act in ignorance no longer. Do not repeat the sins of the past as did the early Christians in this land. Learn from us and understand us and learn to ask and listen.

Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:

McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church