Everyday Missionaries – Part 3/4
See parts 1 and 2 here and here.
There’s a quote by Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest that says “The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him”. Read that again. He then asks “Are we being more devoted to service than to Jesus Christ?” We get so wrapped up in serving Him that it becomes a to-do list, but that’s not what God wants from us. We need to keep both of our callings in the proper order (God is primary, things like location/vocation is secondary), because when we do, everything becomes sacred ground, including spreadsheets, classrooms, coffee shops, living rooms. Imagine the impact if every believer saw their daily routine as an opportunity to be on mission. We are ALL called to be missionaries in our own mission fields.
So what does it look like to live our lives “on mission”? We’re going to do a short exercise, kind of like Mad Libs. Remember Mad Libs, where you had to fill in the blanks before you knew what the rest of the sentence said? I want you to think about your profession (teacher, dentist, lawyer, barista), and if you don’t work outside the home, then a short phrase to explain how you spend your time. For example: a student, a stay-at-home parent, retired mechanic, etc. Now here’s the rest of the sentence where you are going to fill in the blank: I am a missionary who is a ___________ . This sentence is great because it encompasses BOTH aspects of our calling. If we are Christians, we are all called to share the Good News with others in our own ways within our own spheres of influence. We don’t have to move to the other side of the world to do this. The great commission calls all believers to make disciples of ALL nations, that includes the city where you live. That makes us all missionaries.
The meaning of missionary work is simple yet profound: to live with purpose, seeing every moment as an opportunity to make an eternal difference. All of us can do that, no matter how we filled in that blank. It does not require a seminary degree or an outgoing personality, only a commitment to being obedient. God already knows your skillset, your personality type and your weaknesses, but gifted you according to how He knows you can bring glory to His kingdom.
Application: Evangelism tools can be great, but they aren’t necessary. Take away the “stuff” and just share Jesus with people. What He taught, how He loved people, how He went to the cross for our sins…. Formulas and strategies might give us structure and ideas, but can get in the way. Jesus is enough.