I refused to call myself a missionary until I was “on the field” for many years already. I had grown up reading biographies of great missionaries like George Muller and Amy Carmichael and Hudson Taylor—and I knew that wasn’t me. I was simply following the green lights God had on my path—and loving it—was I supposed to be enjoying myself so much?
Jump forward to speaking, as a missionary, to children’s church. Trying to lump 10 years of my life and thoughts and learnings into seven-year-old speech. They want to know two things: what is a missionary, and can they be one. Two HUGE questions for any of us.
I have heard that being a missionary is telling others about Jesus. That everyone is—and should be—a missionary. Yes, AND. And so much more. We all, as Christians, are called to tell others about Jesus. I have heard it amplified to say that being a missionary is GOING and telling others about Jesus. Yes, AND. Much of the current focus on being a missionary is going to a different CULTURE than your own. This could be your next door Muslim neighbor or to Muslims in Africa. Being a missionary definitely carries the idea of stepping out of your comfort zone and sharing Jesus.
Officially, I would say when most people think of the word “Missionary,” they mean someone who has moved (become a migrant) somewhere different (than their own culture) for the specific purpose of telling others about Jesus (direct spiritual ministry in some form), mostly being supported (at least partially) by Christians from their original culture/home.
I love being a missionary. It is my dream job. But like all jobs, it is hard, it has its downsides, and sometimes I just don’t want to get out of bed. My biggest struggle in being a missionary has been the money. It is hard to receive money (no, really). It is humbling and requires grace—both giving and receiving. God is my boss, but there is a lot more to it than that. I hate to say it, but many of our plans revolve around if the money comes in or not. How do you tell that to seven-year-olds?
I had a wonderful childhood, and wouldn’t change it for anything. But in middle school I looked around my life and realized I didn’t have any friends who didn’t know Jesus. I was so embarrassed when we were supposed to bring our “unsaved friends” to a church event…and I couldn’t find a single one.
I am all for telling our seven-year-olds that they can be missionaries. But let’s make sure it is true. Let us, as parents, as older siblings, as aunts and uncles, as mentors, make sure our children/the children in our lives have the opportunities to be those missionaries we told them they could be. Let’s choose to live in THAT part of town. Let’s choose to go to the church that doesn’t feel so comfortable. Let’s maybe even choose THAT school.
Here is a challenge a little closer to home: let’s choose to actively have other cultures as a vital part of our lives. Let’s have friends who don’t agree with us. Let’s have people over to our house that don’t look like us. Let’s not encourage/support people (especially in politics) who don’t love people who are different than they are (race, religion, sexuality)—but let’s still love and pray for them. If we are not doing these things: we need to stop telling our children they can be missionaries.
Stepping outside your comfort zone is scary. Not being “home,” not knowing if they will accept you, not knowing if they will be kind to you…these are all things involved with being a missionary. It is not safe. It is not being cautious. It is being so full of Jesus that you have to share or you will burst.
There is a lot of discussion lately about refugees and migrants and how we should treat Muslims. As a missionary, I am saddened where many of these discussions lead in the name of safety/caution. I have friends who have given their lives to go and minister to Muslims—to the applause of many people. Those same people are now discussing ways to not have Muslims anywhere near them. God is providing more and more opportunities to be missionaries without moving to another country: let us rejoice! Let us stand up and take the opportunity to share Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment