Res Ipsa Loquitur. If you’re familiar with law, you may recognize this expression. It means “the thing speaks for itself” in Latin and refers to an area of negligence law where the facts are presumed true since they’re obvious and the other party must prove to the contrary.

As a lawyer, and as a member of the Camp Or L’Dor team, this expression popped into my head recently at camp as very relevant, not in the way it was intended in the field of law, but rather, as a truth applicable to our walk as Messianic Jews in regard to our relationship with our wider Jewish community.

Let me explain. . .

In my day-to-day life outside of Ruach, I have a significant amount of interaction with the wider Jewish community. It occurs daily in my office with my Jewish colleagues, as well as through opportunities I create as president of Ruach Israel to meet with Jewish community leaders to help them understand us a little better. I find in these situations that by my just being myself, and being honest and sensitive to my listeners’ perspective, my Jewish brothers and sisters become more knowledgeable about our beliefs through very meaningful conversations.

Similarly, at Camp Or L’Dor, our camp for Messianic Jewish teens, which was held at a mainstream Jewish camp, it was so interesting to watch how HaShem orchestrated the interchange of communication between our Messianic Jewish community and the mainstream Jewish camp staff, including the rabbi, and other Jewish campers. For example, our group would hold daily Shachrit services under the willow tree which was easily visible from the main camp areas. We would just be doing our thing in our way, unselfconsciously, but most likely the prayers and music could be easily overheard. Probably unbeknownst to us at the time, given our public location, the many camp staff and campers who walked by or listened were being touched by our presence. By our just being, and by the Ruach that they felt (they told us so in later conversations), “the thing speaks for itself.”

Our presence in this way piqued the curiosity of our hosts, and led to so many conversations between members of our staff and theirs, conversations that shattered stereotypes and created meaningful dialogue. As the assistant camp director shared with me later in the week, “Conversation leads to understanding,” a profound truth.

We are a very blessed community that HaShem has allowed us, has actually charged us, to bring His light to our people, and to the Nations. As these holy days approach, may each of us, and our community, allow the love and the light of Yeshua to speak for itself. And when that happens, HaShem does the rest.

Blessings,

Diane