My daily mission this month is to go out into the community where I am living in China and live out Christ’s love as I interact with the people, most of which do not know Him. I go out each day with 3 of my teammates and we smile and greet the people on the streets and in the local restaurants and shops that we frequent. We join in pick-up games of basketball, Ping-Pong, & badminton and participate in dancing in the park in an effort to gain access to their social circles. Our goal is to show love for the people and a respect for the culture and to attempt to make connections and begin to forge relationships with those living in this area. We are laying a foundation for the work of spreading the gospel that our contacts will continue to do in this area, long after we have gone.
While I have developed a love for these people and a respect and admiration for many aspects of their culture, like daily activities, food J, and interactions, I often struggle not to be discouraged with this ministry. I am the type of person, like many I suppose, that likes to see results of my efforts. That is why I am personally drawn to active ministries where I am: feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, building the structure, comforting the sick, holding the orphan, teaching the child, etc. These are ministries where I can see the results of my efforts. However, when I go to Christ in prayer about this discouragement, He reminds me that the source of my discouragement is that I am seeking to see results of “my” efforts instead of seeking to contribute to “His” plan. I am trying to do it “on my own.” I am humbled as I am reminded yet again that it is not at all about what I do, but how He uses my obedience to His calling for His glory.
Even with this humbling reminder, I am stubborn and I still go to God with questions. Isn’t this mission, living as an example of Christ’s love in my community, a ministry that I could be carrying out at home? Shouldn’t all of us as Christians be living out this mission on a daily basis? The answer to both of these questions is . . . YES. So, why has He brought me to the other side of the world to do what I could be doing amongst my friends and family at home? The answer . . . this is where I am called for this time to contribute to His larger plan. It is not a greater calling to be called to this mission in China than it would be in Durham, NC, but it is my calling and it is my obedience to that calling will be used for His glory.
Yes, we are all called to live out this “mission” of demonstrating Christ’s love in our communities on a daily basis, but we are not all called to do so in the same place or in exactly the same way. What this looks like may be different for all of us. While my life this month doesn’t look much different from what it should look like wherever God leads me in the world, the Lord has provided me a peace in knowing that this is the place and this is the way that He has called me to live out this “mission” at this time. I believe that our responsibility as Christians is simply to seek His direction daily in all things and to respond accordingly.
I still continue to stand in awe of how the Lord uses my shortcomings, discouragements, and doubts to provide me peace & understanding as I continue to seek His direction on this journey. God is SO GOOD!
