This month Adventures in Missions is honoring Christian men. I have heard some really awesome stories about World Racers on the field peoples fathers and brothers and missionaries. There are many Christain men who are doing amazing things for God, but I would like to take a few minutes and honor a few amazing men in my life.
These men aren’t pastors, they’re not missionaries, they’re in a since just ordinary people. But they live their lives as if the grocery store, the gym, their office, their school, and their neighborhoods are their mission field. They try to be examples of God in the way they live their lives.
The next person I’m going to introduce you to is Collin Wilkins.
Collin is 28 years old and he is a banker.
I asked Collin how he models his faith in his everyday life. He told me that every “morning [he prays] for God to use [him] however [God] wants during the day and to help [him] not miss opportunities to witness.” Collin asks God to present him with opportunities to reach out to the people around him. Collin wants God to use him and his experience to reach people wherever he goes.
Collin “personally believes displaying patience, gentleness, and love are the three greatest ways to ‘stick out from the crowd.'” Showing that Christ has changed our lives by treating them in ways that are Christ like helps people notice that they are different and that they have been effected by their faith. From my experience, he really does express his faith through his patience and his love for others. I remember a time when we were meeting at Starbucks to discuss something rather insignificant. I don’t think we discussed what we were supposed to, instead I just explained why my life for the time being was overly stressful. He was patient with me (which is something that is difficult) and he was kind. Having people who are willing to be inconvenienced and patient does show people the radical impact their faith has had in their lives.
Collin believes that being a Christian means giving all of himself go God and “developing the confidence, and courage, and faith to literally say . . . ‘God here I am. I am ready and willing to serve you no matter what. . . My life is yours.'” For Collin, life isn’t about living for what he wants but rather what God’s wants for his life. Though giving all of yourself to God can be a bit intimidating, Collin believes that it is worth it because God “desires to give us the joy and peace that is promised in the Bible, as well as use us to further His kingdom in whatever way He sees fit.” God wants to take care of us and give us a constant since of peace and joy in life and that is reason enough to follow His will for our life.
Collin lives his daily life in a way that brings honor to God. He models his faith by spending with God each morning and by showing patience, gentleness, and love to the people around him. By doing this, he is able to show his faith and trust in God.
