As I conclude the first section of my mission trip and prepare for the second I find myself reflecting on some of the lessons God has taught me so far. I spent the first four months of the World Race traveling from Guatemala, to Honduras, with a stint in Nicaragua, and ended our time in Latin American with Costa Rica before heading to Asia for five months.
Time has flown by and it feels like it was just yesterday when I said goodbye to my family and boarded a plane with 49 relative strangers. But as I look back over the last four months I realize just how much has happened. I could write you a long story and describe all the good works I have done but instead I want to tell you a story that is far greater. I want to tell you how God has been revealing his grace and glory to me.
A story of a woman who embarked on an 11 month mission trip hoping to change the world only to realize God is already changing the world around us and he invites us to join him.
You see the mission field isn’t in Central America, or Asia, or even Africa; the mission field is all around us. Everywhere you go you are called to show Christ to others for Jesus called us to love others as we love ourselves.
Growing up in the church I already knew the correct answer to how we are supposed to love others but I find myself continually asking what does that look like? What does putting others before myself and sacrificing for them look like?
What is agape love?
Jesus says in the final judgment he will welcome followers into heaven by saying, “I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me… as you did it to one of the least of them my brothers, you did it to me.” Matthew 25: 35-36,40
When was the last time you fed someone who was truly hungry or showed hospitality to a stranger? Have you given your clothes to a homeless person lately or visited a prisoner?
These are not ideals of Christianity but the standards we are called to live by. Jesus doesn’t call us to sit back and enjoy all the comforts of home but to extend the blessings he gave us to others. God didn’t bless you with a flourishing life for you to keep it all to yourself. We are called to serve others and to love them as Christ did.
“God has shown us great grace (and provided abundant blessings!) so he might use them to accomplish the glorious, global, God-exalting purpose” of spreading the gospel to the nations so all may know this glory. (Radical by David Platt)
We are called to love others not to the benefit and glory of ourselves but for the honor and glory of God. We are to steward our time, efforts, and money in such a way that everything we do points others to God and not ourselves. We are called to be humble servants of God and in doing so God will continue to bless us more and more.
So now you might be asking what does that look like? What does serving others out of love for God really mean?
Another thing I have learned on the Race is that God gives each of us different passions and talents for a reason. Our talents, desires, and blessings are given to us so that we can bless others with the intent of showing them God’s love. Nothing you have was given to you by chance or coincidence, everything you have is a blessing from God.
So I challenge you to seek God and ask him how he desires you to serve the kingdom. I don’t know what it will look like for you as God gave us all different passions but I can tell you that when you start living your life to the benefit of God’s kingdom you will find a greater happiness and purpose than you could ever imagine. So don’t squander his blessings, live this life to the fullest.
On the day of judgment will God say to you “Well done, good and faithful servant?” – Matthew 25: 21
