This past week has brought to the surface a question that I have wrestled with for a long time, the question of calling on a persons life. About a week ago we had a guest speaker at church who spoke about missions. Shortly after church we went on an outreach to a local park where I had a second conversation about Christianity and reaching out to help others. Then, with this being the last week in the classroom before outreach, the topic was Missions and Mobilization. So I wanted to share a few things that I saw this week as I ponder my own calling and how to help others reach theirs.
The speaker at church was interesting. A long time missionary and representative for an international missions agency. He spoke very strongly about the calling that he believes every Christian has to do some international missions work during their life. He made a great case for the need for people in the field and how the whole world would benefit. His message was a compelling argument for everyone's involvement, but also seemed to highlight what a great sacrifice it would be to do missions, which I could not relate too since I have felt very excited and greatly inspired to do what we feel that we are "called" to do at this time. He really wanted to inspire people to do missions, and did a great job at inspiring those who may feel called. I loved his heart for serving, but have to admit that messages like the one we heard would have caused me to pull back out of guilt before I had an appreciation for international missions.
Shortly after hearing the speaker talk at church, we headed to the park with another family in our school, to let the kids play, and spend some time talking to people, reaching out however we saw a need. I met a lady named Sarah who was there with her grandson. Sarah made it a point to tell me during our conversation that she never tells anyone her age because they often judge her for not being retired and assume she should be somewhere resting. Presently, Sarah has several ministries going on, one that she works for full time, and others that she does in her spare time. Sarah was passionate about helping others, and loves her faith. But when I shared why we were in Colorado, and about going to Thailand, she immediately began talking about the guilt she felt for not doing international missions, since she felt more comfortable working around Colorado. Something tells me she heard a few one sided talks about international missions. I encouraged her in what she does and tried my best to assure her that she is doing great things, no matter where she works. This left me really thinking about how we work to get others involved in their calling, not make them feel guilty.
That is where our class came in. We have had many talks about the reasons for international missions, since that is what we are here for, but we were also able to talk about callings and the need for people working everywhere. Each church, and its people are called to help out in their own neighborhood, as well as across the world. We talked about the need for people at home to support all international missionaries, people to pray, and people to lead and disciple people at home and across the world. And the most important thing that I took away from this week was the realization that we do not need people going out and doing a task with a bad attitude because they were made to feel guilty and just went out because they had to. My friend Sarah from the park was definitely called to do her work that she was doing, and is making a difference each day. I also know many people who are called to reach all of the world by going to unreached nations. They both seem to be equally important to me.
Bottom line is that we are all called to do something to reach out to others, whether at home or across the world. I have seen so much joy out of seeking out my calling and following after God's plan for my life that I want to see everyone take the same opportunity. I have seen that joy both in local outreach and international missions, each in their right time. A few years ago I felt no calling at all to do anything like I am doing now, but through the years and experiences this came about at the exact time that was right. I am not sure where we will be called to next, but we will be heading out Wednesday and to everything we can in Thailand to love on others, and are praying that God makes our next calling really clear, because I do not want to miss any opportunity to enjoy life this much going forward. I want that for everyone I know.
If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. Philippians 2: 1-8
Love you all!
