What is means to be a missionary

    Last month in the London airport Moriah and I got into a discussion about our trip to Kenya with a fellow passenger. Amidst all the things that were said, the one thing that jumped out at me was when he asked us, “what does it feel like to be able to tell people you’re a missionary? “

      “What does it feel like to be able to tell people you’re a missionary?”

       As I stood there in that security line, in the midst of all the chaos that accompanies an airport, I felt a soft tug at my heart, in that one question God suddenly brought me to a new understanding of what being a missionary really means…according to His standards. As the man we were talking to so eloquently put it “there is a lot of weight with that title,” and there is indeed.

      According to the world’s standards, being a missionary means you are a messenger of God with a specific mission and everybody knows that so they begin to watch and evaluate your life till everything you do is measured according to the standards of that title. But being a missionary is so much more than that. It means that you represent God more than the average Joe because of the work you are doing, you almost become a “symbol”of all that His is and all that He cares about. People say “missionary” and they immediately associate that with God...and rightly they should.

     You might think this sounds cocky or proud but really I have just described the average Christian. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “missionary” as someone undertaking a mission. So you see, as Christians we are all missionaries since we have all been called to undertake the mission of reaching the world. Some of us might be called far away and others to our own city, but none of us are more important nor have more authority than the other. With this goal in mind each of us needs to embrace this calling, living worthy of the title, so as to give the world the kind of symbol they need: Christians that point to God with every word and action. For that is really what missionaries are: average people following in God’s footsteps, changing this world through His love one person at a time. This is why the commission is a command not a choice, command that we can choose to obey or disobey. The choice is ours to obey or disobey, but let me just say. God does not view as a choice. To Him this is a command of eternal consequences..for us as well as others. We can choose to make it a choice, but to Him that is blatant disobedience.We have been given such a short time on this earth to reach as many people for the kingdom ad possible, let us make the most of it.

       Our eternities are not the only ones in question for our choice effects others. Don't mess with God's plan and certainly don't mess with the eternities of others. Reach out to them before it's too late! Make the most of our time here before we go home!

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves……You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles….But… do not worry about what to say…. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”  

Matthew 10: 16, 18-20

“For the glory of God!”