Mission isn't solely humanitarian work

"I don't study to know more, but to ignore less" - Juana Inés de la Cruz

While Jesus was preaching the good news to all, he also showed throughout his ministry the particular interest in the poor and those who fall through the cracks. He "moved in" with the poor. He lived with, ate with and associated the the socially ostracised (Matt 9:13). Mission includes helping people but it isn't solely about meeting needs. If that so, we would be frustrated as we simply cannot meet all the needs in this world. We should not go solely because we want to help people. It is not merely about doing good, but we go with the core reason that Jesus is worthy. 

Mission exist for places where worship doesn't. Though it is a good thing to fill gaps and rebuild bridges, the core is still to share the good news - with a vision of Revelation 7: 9; a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language worshiping Him, extending His kingdom because He is worthy. 

It can be easy to slip into that saviour complex, but truth is, the world doesn't need us to go. God can always send deliverance from another place. The saviour of the world is Jesus, and we are mere privileged partners with Him in the work He does. We are not playing the saviour role, that role is already filled up by Christ.

I believe what compel us for mission work should stem from a love for God. While being compassionate is a great virtue, if that being our sole motivation, we will be discouraged by the reality of things - that we simply cannot meet all the needs, and that the world would reject His compassion and Him altogether. We will quickly be defeated and broken hearted, as it is inevitable to be confronted with a great deal of ingratitude from the people we serve and tried to love. But if we are compelled by our love for God, then no amount of ingratitude will be able to hinder us from serving one another. 

It's exhilarating to follow Christ when life is going well, prayers are answered quickly, and plans fall in to place without a hitch. Who wouldn't want to follow a man who gave sight to the blind, made the lame to walk, and fed thousands at a time? It was exciting to hang out with Jesus and listen to His parables and His wisdom. It is an adventure. No wonder the scribe said "Jesus, I will follow You wherever you go." 

Jesus' answer bursts the bubble of the scribe's fervor. "Okay, if you want to follow me you'll have to leave your nice comfortable bed at home." There's nothing glamorous about following Jesus and He makes that clear right away. Then He invites them onto the boat, with no mistake the disciples followed him right into the middle of a storm. 

There might be things keeping us from following Jesus with a whole heart. It could be a relationship, fear of unfulfilled expectations, concern over disappointing your parents, anxiety over not being provided for financially.  

Following Him takes faith not in our great ability or know-how, but in Him the creator. When plans fall apart, I can be the first to scream "Help me Lord!", and even ponder if it is really worth it to follow Him at all. It is in storm that our faith is tested, which is far greater worth than gold. It refines our commitment to Christ. 

Sometimes I do question if I'm following God's call or my own desire. However, the issue might be about the heart of an unsurrendered life. Our "own desires" are often masked by what looks like a noble pursuit- like the guy who wanted to first go and bury his father and then follow Jesus. Often, what seems to us, and to those around us, to be the right thing to do might actually rooted in a desire to make sure everything's in place before we say "yes" to God's call. 

"I'll go wherever God calls me but not until I get married because it wouldn't be good or safe for me to go alone". or "I'll go when my kids grow up. It would be selfish of me to go now and make their lives so uncomfortable." or "I'll go when I have enough savings or when I'm assured with my retirement plan". The desire for all these things aren't wrong unless these desires hold you back from a fully open and surrendered life.

Developing faith and trust is a huge part of following Christ. It's a challenge for everyone to trust Him to take care of all our needs- emotional, physical, mental, spiritual and social. 

I recently came across this video on The Last Resort where a Christian couple opens up their home to housed the destitute. They have shared that the Singaporean way of thinking is to plan before I can do it, but they believe we should look at what we have in our hands and offer it to God, and He will multiply it if He chooses to.

Their heart for their home to be His home touches me so much. Indeed this Christian mandate to care for the poor (Isaiah 58:7) should be normalise. It shouldn't be called a ministry, but rather should be a norm among the community to uphold social justice. 

In serving others, there are times I find myself having certain thoughts and opinions that isn't largely comfortable with others, and I see myself holding back speaking the truth. 

"Always measure your life solely by the standards of Jesus. Submit yourself to His yoke, and His alone; and always be careful never to place a yoke on others that is not of Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God’s view. There is only one true liberty— the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right." - My Utmost for His highest

I'm still growing to not get impatient with others, and never water down the truth of God to please others. To remember how God dealt with me— with patience and with gentleness. To make disciples but not make converts to my own thoughts and opinions. Discipleship is a long-suffering process that requires patience. Help me, Jesus. Is so hard to love like you do... 

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Bruchko, a missionary who reaches out to unreached Motilones tribes in South America becomes close with a member of the tribe named Bobby, who eventually is the first Motilone that came to know God, and shared the Good News with the tribe. Bobby is slaughtered by a band of outlaws who want to take his land. 

Bobby's adopted son then spoke to the Motilone people:

" There is one flower bigger and more beautiful than all the rest. It made the most perfect fruit. That is Bobby. He gave us agriculture, and our stomachs were filled. We were dying of sickness, and he brought us healing from Jesus Christ through medicine. He showed us the path to walk with Jesus Christ, so that we have reasons for life, for living. we were all excited by this new life. 

But O Lord, it's so black. A wind has blown, and the fruit, the most perfect fruit, has dried and withered and fallen to the ground. Its seed have been kicked into the dark, dark ground. It has died- Bobby has died and left us. 

God, don't let the seed by wasted. Make our lives fertile soil so that his seed may grow in us. Make his death into a great tree growing in our soil, so that we can live as he did, to help each other and learn to love. Make this grow up in us because of his death. We ask this because we are all one this evening, born into Jesus Christ, Your only Son. "

-Bruchko

It matters so little how much you may own

The places you’ve been or the people you’ve known

For it all comes to nothing when place at His feet

It’s nothing for Jesus, just memories to keep

 

You may take all the treasures from far away land

And take all the riches you can hold in your hand

And take all the pleasures your money can buy

But what will you have when it’s your time to die?

 

Only one life so soon it will pass

Only what’s done for Christ will last

Only one chance to do His will

So give to Jesus all your days, it’s the only life that pays

When you recall you have but one life

 

The days pass so swiftly, the months come and go

The years melt away like a new fallen snow

Spring turns to summer, and summer to fall

Autumn brings winter, and death comes to call

- Lanny Wolfe