St. Francis has often been one of my favorite figures in the ancient church. Through his legacy, we see him as a humble man who loved the LORD and people. He denounced the value of Earthly possessions and instead set his sights upon the Kingdom. St. Francis is often thought of as the friar in the brown habit and sandals, holding some type of woodland creature and he is credited with well known quotes such as "Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words."
I personally love that quote and have often admired St. Francis for the life that he chose, thinking that I am a step above the rest because I know more about him than just the fact that he is the patron saint of animals and the environment. But today as I was doing a little research for some meat for a blog idea that's been growing in my head I made a discovery: St. Francis probably never said those words.
Because of the time in which St. Francis lived, records aren't always the most reliable as to what he did and did not say in actuality. Some things are more likely to have been said/written by him, but it Franciscan scholars have found no written record of the above quote. However, that does not make the sentiment any less Franciscan. That sentiment can be seen in other things St. Francis said: "It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching." "…As for me, I desire this privilege from the Lord, that never may I have any privilege from man, except to do reverence by all, and to convert the world by obedience to the Holy Rule rather by example than by word."
What an amazing thought: converting to world through obedience and example. Exactly how Christ did it. He was obedient to the Father and left the world the most perfect example of selfless love.
So now how can I respond to that?
I've been struggling lately with wrapping my mind around the fact that next year I will be a missionary. Of course, as believers we are called to be constant witnesses, but growing up in the church there is a stigma attached to people who make missions their livelihood. Not necessarily a negative stigma, maybe expectation is a better choice of words. In my home growing up, missionaries were the people whose pictures we always had on the fridge. Who would occasionally visit, needing a place to stay while stateside, bringing small trinkets from exotic lands as gifts of thanks. Missionaries lived lives that were fully devoted to the church and preaching and loving Jesus. And let's face it, that intimidated me.
How could I ever live a life wholly devoted to serving the Triune God and His Church? But as soon as I voice that question, the Holy Spirit changes it to why aren't you?
It is still taking me some time to adjust my thinking, but now whenever someone asks me what I am doing next year I reply: spending a year serving as a missionary abroad. I'm not just doing "missions work" as I previously have said. I am going to live out the Gospel the best way I know how: to follow Christ's example and serve with selfless love.
My prayer is this: that the Holy Spirit move in me and inspire me daily to humble myself and preach the Gospel daily in action, thought, and word. I know I am a far cry from embodying the view of a missionary I grew up with, but I also know that God can use my sinful, broken life to bring glory to His name. For that, I give Him all the praise.
​Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51: 10 (NASB)
