The very idea of being a
Missionary is daunting when people perceive it to be a call away from one’s
home to another country. There is the
issue of funds for travel, language barriers, leaving family, qualification
uneasiness, food allergies, unknowns of another culture, fear of contracting some kind of unknown disease from a foreign land or even something as
simplistic as not wanting to live without electricity or be without modern bathroom
facilities.
By definition a missionary is
“a person sent
on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a
foreign country.” I suggest “in a
foreign country” need not be included in the definition. We are by God’s design all missionaries. We are commanded to spread the Good News with
everyone around us, whether at work, play, in school, our neighborhood, or community; where we live!
There are all types of
ministries available for those who would choose to follow God’s guidance to
touch other lives. There is the obvious
mission work in another country and many have given a life’s service to this
worthwhile endeavor. The Gideon’s are
faithful in placing Bibles in hotels/motels and handing the scriptures out on
college campuses and other places world wide.
There is raceway ministries which our local church congregation is
involved in, or soup kitchens, sending cards of comfort, making phone calls, Hospice, food pantries, hospital visitation, visiting shut-ins, or
even prayer. The list is literally endless! There are so many opportunities for those who
are willing!
I am about to embark on
another amazing ministry and while honored, and humbled, desire to do it well
while being effective! I was discussing
this idea of an “effective ministry” with my son recently and he told me
something which made perfect sense! If
you believe with your whole heart God is speaking to you and telling you share
something with someone, then even if it doesn’t come out sounding right to your
ears, God can and will make it sound right to the hearer. It isn’t up to us to make sure they
understand, it is God’s. And he has the
ability to use the most unlikely comment, or illogical statement in our minds,
to be just the right collection of words for another person!
My husband and I recently
talked with a Pastor who works specifically with Native American youth. He and his team are working toward
diminishing the number of suicides and enabling them through classes the
ability to learn life skills which will carry them through their adult life. This mission is right here in the United
States and reaches to over a dozen different states. This a great need, and I suspect this will be
another area of ministry both my husband and I will eventually be more involved
in.
Consider your personal
community. How do you respond when the
name of Jesus is spoken? Do you shy
away, not sure what to say next? Are you
quick to change the subject? I challenge
you this week to be a missionary in the comfort of your neighborhood, with family,
friends or co-workers. Ask God to lead
you to a particular person to share the Gospel with. You need not know a foreign language, learn a
new culture, worry about food allergies, or travel to a foreign land. God can use you to share the Gospel right where you are ……..if
you are willing.
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