(((this blog was taken directly from Matt Peters! Thanks! :)))
Why do we
think life is all about us? Why do we travel halfway around the world
to “serve Jesus with all we have” and then complain about the heat, the
traffic, the food, the living conditions, and the hours in which we are
asked by our contacts to serve? We’ve been on the Race for
almost 10 months and this is still an issue. Even if your not on the
World Race program yourself, check your motives for the ministry you
are currently involved with. I know it’s been a long year, but why is
home so different than out here? Does “ministry” stop when we get home.
Is going home a time out in this eternal job we are called to? If we
are called to share the Gospel and Love others, does it stop when we
get home? What makes the plains of Africa, or the slums of India, or
the jungles of Vietnam any different from America? That’s what I’m
trying to figure out. America is another culture, another continent
geographically, and it’s all comfortable. Why should I separate where I
should be missional and where I can rest from my role as a Son of God.
You can’t! And the reason is the LIFE IS NOT ABOUT YOU and SURE ISN’T ABOUT ME!
think life is all about us? Why do we travel halfway around the world
to “serve Jesus with all we have” and then complain about the heat, the
traffic, the food, the living conditions, and the hours in which we are
asked by our contacts to serve? We’ve been on the Race for
almost 10 months and this is still an issue. Even if your not on the
World Race program yourself, check your motives for the ministry you
are currently involved with. I know it’s been a long year, but why is
home so different than out here? Does “ministry” stop when we get home.
Is going home a time out in this eternal job we are called to? If we
are called to share the Gospel and Love others, does it stop when we
get home? What makes the plains of Africa, or the slums of India, or
the jungles of Vietnam any different from America? That’s what I’m
trying to figure out. America is another culture, another continent
geographically, and it’s all comfortable. Why should I separate where I
should be missional and where I can rest from my role as a Son of God.
You can’t! And the reason is the LIFE IS NOT ABOUT YOU and SURE ISN’T ABOUT ME!
I’m not condemning anybody, but it’s starting to get to me out
here. Sure there are rats in the hallway. Sure it’s hot outside. Sure
ministry deosn’t look the same as it did a week ago, or a month ago, or
even anything near what was expected. Get over it. Why are we here? What is our purpose here? Why do we feel we deserve better than what we have?
here. Sure there are rats in the hallway. Sure it’s hot outside. Sure
ministry deosn’t look the same as it did a week ago, or a month ago, or
even anything near what was expected. Get over it. Why are we here? What is our purpose here? Why do we feel we deserve better than what we have?
In his book “Adam’s Return”, Richard Rohr says, “What
is all this Jesus talk about going barefoot, taking nothing for your
journey, having only one shirt, staying at whatever house accepts you,
eating what is set before you? Is this really a sustainable pattern for
one’s whole life? Did Jesus actually intend Christians to live this
way? I would argue not…[Jesus] message was not meant to be a pattern
for one’s whole life, but it was to serve as a school, a training
ground, a boot camp in basic insecurity and trust. He was trying to
present the values of a life of vulnerability in which one would have
practical and needed experience of the same. It would be a life without
baggage so one would learn how to accept others and their culture
instead of always carrying along our own country’s assumptions and
calling them “the good news.” He did not teach us to hang up a shingle
and try to get people to attend our services, but exactly the opposite,
that we should stay in their homes and eat their food! This is very
strong institutional language. One can only imagine how different
history would have been had Christians done this boot camp training. We
might have borne a message of cosmic sympathy instead of cultural and
military imperialism, dressing ourselves down instead of dressing
ourselves up for worship services, providing humble reconciliation,
instead of religious wars and the murdering of heretics, Jews, and
native peoples in the name of Jesus. We learn slowly, but fortunately
God seems very patient. Maybe God has gone through his own boot camp,
since God hardly ever gets his own way. God must be very familiar with
letting go, since God’s creatures insist on being in control and
important.”
is all this Jesus talk about going barefoot, taking nothing for your
journey, having only one shirt, staying at whatever house accepts you,
eating what is set before you? Is this really a sustainable pattern for
one’s whole life? Did Jesus actually intend Christians to live this
way? I would argue not…[Jesus] message was not meant to be a pattern
for one’s whole life, but it was to serve as a school, a training
ground, a boot camp in basic insecurity and trust. He was trying to
present the values of a life of vulnerability in which one would have
practical and needed experience of the same. It would be a life without
baggage so one would learn how to accept others and their culture
instead of always carrying along our own country’s assumptions and
calling them “the good news.” He did not teach us to hang up a shingle
and try to get people to attend our services, but exactly the opposite,
that we should stay in their homes and eat their food! This is very
strong institutional language. One can only imagine how different
history would have been had Christians done this boot camp training. We
might have borne a message of cosmic sympathy instead of cultural and
military imperialism, dressing ourselves down instead of dressing
ourselves up for worship services, providing humble reconciliation,
instead of religious wars and the murdering of heretics, Jews, and
native peoples in the name of Jesus. We learn slowly, but fortunately
God seems very patient. Maybe God has gone through his own boot camp,
since God hardly ever gets his own way. God must be very familiar with
letting go, since God’s creatures insist on being in control and
important.”
I see it all over the world, people want to be just like America!
Many contacts have cried out for the cheque we supposedly are bringing
with us as we go to them. We’ll I’m sorry, but World Racers don’t have
money. We bring our hands, our feet, and our hearts.There are many
missionaries who go out with cash and they give financially freely.
Well, that brings a dependence that is unrealistic. When the money runs
out, then what?
Many contacts have cried out for the cheque we supposedly are bringing
with us as we go to them. We’ll I’m sorry, but World Racers don’t have
money. We bring our hands, our feet, and our hearts.There are many
missionaries who go out with cash and they give financially freely.
Well, that brings a dependence that is unrealistic. When the money runs
out, then what?
And here’s the harder truth…many contacts I have met also are
ready to dive in. The arrange impromtu meetings with leaders miles away
just to organize a schedule to maximize our time together. They KNOW we
only bring ourselves and our hearts. They KNOW we are there to serve
with everything. So then why do we shy
away when we’re tired? Why do we wish we could be home when eternal
things are happening right in front of us? When they open up a
place to stay and offer us food that is not “american” to give and we
shy away because it’s not pizza or nice looking pork chops? Why is
eating rice 2 days in a row torture for so many of us?
ready to dive in. The arrange impromtu meetings with leaders miles away
just to organize a schedule to maximize our time together. They KNOW we
only bring ourselves and our hearts. They KNOW we are there to serve
with everything. So then why do we shy
away when we’re tired? Why do we wish we could be home when eternal
things are happening right in front of us? When they open up a
place to stay and offer us food that is not “american” to give and we
shy away because it’s not pizza or nice looking pork chops? Why is
eating rice 2 days in a row torture for so many of us?
What are we doing here then? If we want to be comfortable, then
stay home! Like Rohr says, we don’t go to bring America to the world,
we go to the world to bring the Kingdom of God. Our lives have nothing
to do with us. We can be missional all we want and God won’t weigh that
over anything else. Are we living for
him by choosing to press into Christ moment by moment? Are we traveling
to the nations to collect passport stamps? Are we on this journey to
get a pat on the back? This trip is about learning who we are in Christ
in order to understand our role in the Kingdom! Even then God can do
all things without us. He just wants us to receive His offering of Love
in our lives and PRAISE Him for ALL that HE IS!
stay home! Like Rohr says, we don’t go to bring America to the world,
we go to the world to bring the Kingdom of God. Our lives have nothing
to do with us. We can be missional all we want and God won’t weigh that
over anything else. Are we living for
him by choosing to press into Christ moment by moment? Are we traveling
to the nations to collect passport stamps? Are we on this journey to
get a pat on the back? This trip is about learning who we are in Christ
in order to understand our role in the Kingdom! Even then God can do
all things without us. He just wants us to receive His offering of Love
in our lives and PRAISE Him for ALL that HE IS!
” My life is not about me. It is about God. It is about a willing participation in a larger mystery.”
– Richard Rohr
