When I first applied to go on the World Race, I thought it would mostly be about me trying to figure out where in the world God has called me and to what type of ministry I should dedicate the rest of my life. I’m not in any way trying to downplay the true “missions” aspect of the World Race – that innumerable lives could be touched in each of the 11 countries to which we travel – but even Adventures in Missions and alumni World Racers acknowledge the fact that this trip is more about the journey we (as World Racers) take to undergo the process of looking more and more like Him. Now – some people might take up issue with that type of outlook (I think of all the arguments I’ve read against short-term missions and the like) – but please hear me out because I like to think of the World Race as an investment that compounds interest.
I remember sitting in my personal finance class in high school and learning about compound interest for the first time. It’s “the eighth wonder of the world” according to Einstein. The simple idea that you could invest a relatively small amount of money early in life, allow it to earn interest year after year, never touch it, and watch it grow to be a million dollars “by retirement” was astounding. At the time, it seemed to me to defy logic. But when you sit down and run the numbers, it works. Every time.
Now – for the purpose of this blog, I want to concentrate in on the “early in life” portion of my previous statement. We learned that “time” was an essential requirement to making compound interest work – that and you have to be willing to reinvest your “earnings” without fail. If one of those two ingredients are missing (you start later in life or you don’t reinvest the interest you’ve earned), the process won’t move as powerfully as it would have otherwise. This is where I believe the World Race comes in – a journey for young adults who wish to answer the call placed on their lives, a call to become more like Him in every way. It’s an experience that allows us to invest in His Kingdom early in life, to see how He’s moving around the world, to be transformed more into His likeness and an opportunity to reinvest what we’ve learned in the lives of those around us. Sounds a lot like compounding interest, no?
Of course – in true God fashion – it’s not a perfect analogy. Here I am attempting to take the human concept of “compound interest” and apply it to the Creator of the universe. He’s bigger and better than that! Because whereas we aren’t able to use the money while it’s growing (or else one of those essential ingredients would be missing) – He allows us to take FULL ADVANTAGE of our investment from the very start. Whether it’s an internal molding and shaping by the Spirit or the joy and goodness of touching another human life, we are able to enjoy the journey as we go along. We don’t have to wait.
So you might be asking yourself – “Why is she telling me this? I’m not on the Race.” Well sure – you may not be on this particular Race, but we’re all on our own journeys with Him. I simply want to encourage you that no matter your age or where you are in your faith – He wants to do a mighty work in you and through you. You need only say yes to the time it will take and the reinvestments you must make for Him to do so.
To my original point – I thought the World Race would mostly be about me trying to figure out where in the world God has called me and to what type of ministry I should dedicate the rest of my life. But it’s much bigger than that. It’s about Him chipping away the old me – piece by piece – tearing down strongholds and ways of thinking that I’ve held onto for too long and replacing them with His Holy Spirit. Only then will I be able to maximize my potential and impact for the Kingdom. So I ask for grace as I move through this journey. If you are reading this blog and find too many “me’s, my’s and I’s”, please just know that it is my attempt to process His work in me.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2
For His glory,
Nat
