...is everyday?
As I sit here and re-cap the events of the last few days in my mind (that is shot) there are a few that stand out. There's this one "I know exactly what to say...ten minutes to late" event that I'd like to replay just for satisfaction. I'll be me and you be the lady I was talking to and at the end I'll feel better about it. Ok maybe not. Well here's how it all went down...
I was walking in a very popular thouroughfare in my school lined with missionary agencies. They're all there with tables, brochures, and sweet looking orphan kids glowing. I was walking back from class and not in a hurry so I noticed that several peers shrugged them off or didn't respond to them when they said a simple "hello." So I looked up! I was bombarded. Before I could say "hi" and turn away this perky well-meaning lady was in my face and sidled up to me quicker than than I could think. She said:
"Are you interested in missions?"
(What to do? I am interested in mission right? What did I say?
"No."
"oh.......well here's the brochure. If you are interested it's just a two day trip
to(somewhere in the Midwest)"
(insert what I wanted to say)
I meant to say no, not that way. I believe that any believer should actively be interested in missions! Every day is my mission. If you are a believer in Christ then he calls to all His children! Not just the ones who go to the Midwest for two days. But wait here at school they say there are "goers" and "senders." WHAT?! Aren't we all called to go? Yes. The call of Christ is universal.
Where should we go? Africa? Asia?
Next door is a start! How about our local communities? We speak their language and understand the culture. Those are things that foreign missionaries spend years learning.
Why not our neighborhood? I know I haven’t even started there since I’ve been in Lynchburg.
Who should we be on mission for?
Who is our neighbor? Remember the story of the good Samaritan? The dying, helpless man is our neighbor. Well that evens things out a bit. We're all dying and helpless before Christ saves us! There's death (sin) in Africa, Asia, and everywhere else. Even next door.
I am not minimilizing the need to go to other countries at all! I know that God has a call on us to do so. But the way we think about missions work needs some refining. I should be the first to admit that rarely do I wake up “seeking first the kingdom.” Everything I'm saying is something that I need to live out. Please forgive me if I sound like I have a handle on this. I don't. This is deeply convicting to me. I pray that God breaks my heart for what breaks His. The first time I answered that lady “no” could have been right depending on what time of the day it was.
I wanted to let the lady know that I loved her and the people in the mid-west, but why, apart from a geographically special calling from God, would I spend thousands of dollars of the church's money to do something that I should be doing everyday in my community?
I don’t like this disjunctive view of missions and everyday life, jobs, locations, etc. I can’t shake the feeling that we try and make that distinction.
I hope this has been a thought provoking post and has been edifying. Maybe I won’t say all that I said above next time this happens, but I will answer in love, truth, and experience.
What are your thoughts/experiences with the subject?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
