Reluctant Missionary
If you knew the place where I work...well, let's just say you may start to believe all those "crazy" references I make about myself (if you don't already). It's been a hard 20 plus years, it's been a place that I have tried leaving many times (was successful once, came back after a year...another long story). There have many paychecks not cashable, cancelled insurance and other "benefits" too numerous to list.
A lot of those years were spent yearning for "full-time" ministry opportunities outside of where I worked, not seeing clearly that it was staring me in the face all the time. Sure there were times of connecting with fellow co-workers, sharing their struggles and even praying with them...but, was that ministry? The truth is, my workplace has been my mission field and I have been a reluctant missionary for most of my tenure there.
This past Sunday, at our church's 5 year anniversary celebration, a friend and former co-worker said one of the nicest and empowering things to me (and to my wife earlier). She related how I have always been a pastor to her, even to the department I supervised when we worked together. To the way I handled my position, to the way I touched people…it reflected Jesus and influence her life significantly. I was blessed and (very) humbled at the same time...because we worked together over 20 years ago.
It’s hard to imagine that kind of influence…only God can do that through a reluctant missionary.
I repeat this praise only to encourage you that your ministry is where you happen to be, don't be waiting for it, live like the Messiah every place you go. You don't need a title... you already have one...you're a son or daughter of the God who so loved the world He sent His son to redeem and set people free. That my friend... is full-time ministry.
Look around, you never know who you will touched with His story living through you. Your mission field is ready for you!
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
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