India, Hinduism, and Jesus

Jet lag has a way of slowing everything down. Your body’s home, but your heart is still somewhere else—replaying faces, streets, smells, moments that won’t quite let you go.

I just got back from India, and even as I unpacked my suitcase, I realized I was also unpacking something deeper. India doesn’t leave you unchanged. It stays with you—layered, loud, sacred, heartbreaking, beautiful.

India recently surpassed China as the most populated country in the world. It is a deeply Hindu nation, worshiping more than 35,000 gods. Yes—that’s where phrases like “holy cow” and “sacred cow” come from. Cows walk freely through the streets, revered and protected.

But what struck me most wasn’t the number of gods—it was the longing.

Our team served in children’s homes, elderly homes, a medical camp, and a leprosy colony. We sat with the least visible. We encouraged those who are quietly bringing hope and healing where suffering has lingered far too long.

And again and again, I was reminded: Jesus does not compete for attention—He comes close. He does not ask us to climb toward Him—He moves toward us. Especially toward the forgotten.

This Week’s Faith Habit

Practice embodied compassion.

Choose one tangible act of mercy this week:

• Give to a ministry serving the poor or sick

• Prepare a meal for someone in need

• Visit or check in on an elderly person

• Support a global or local mission with prayer and generosity

Do it intentionally, prayerfully, and quietly.

This habit forms faith by moving compassion from feeling to action—teaching our hearts that love is meant to be lived, not just believed.

May the nearness of Jesus steady your heart.
May His compassion shape your hands and feet.
And may you carry His presence—
into places that ache for hope.