I recently visited with a couple who are leaving to serve as Missionaries in Turkey. It was fascinating. The story of how God prepared them for this stage of their service to Him is jaw dropping. She has been serving with a small group of women who minister to the ladies in strip clubs. He has been ministering to a group working at an abortion clinic. (That's a post for another day)
Here's the thing I DO want to sort through....
These folks (and so many like them) are giving up everything (literally selling all they have) and moving to a country where they know no one to share the Gospel message.
I go to church with my Christian people, work at my job (where we have Bible Verses on our Marquee), hang out with my Christian friends, go see my Christian therapist and... well, I don't come in contact with many (if any) openly non-Christian people.
Sadly, I have been content with that. I have rationalized that writing here and there ministers to people. I have rationalized that I serve in church, I live a "Christian Life" and "set an example" and invest in younger women in hopes of helping them deepen their walk with Christ.
But in reality, am I really doing anything? I mean, am I REALLY making myself available to be used by God?
So when I saw Perry last week (because I thought I was sliding into depression again and it scared me - post for another day) we discussed this. He reminded me that the things I do matter. The kids in my Sunday School class matter, the people I work with matter, my family certainly matters, my pastor/husband matters, my friends matter. The people who stop by here from time to time to read my thoughts matter.
This made me feel better for not selling everything I own and trying to save the world.
Last night I was still thinking about this as I waited to fall asleep. It struck me that we ARE influencing people all day every day. We ARE mentoring the people we work with, go to school with, live with and do life with. We ARE making disciples of our friends, family, and coworkers. We ARE Evangelizing the world around us.
The question that comes to mind is "what are we leading them to?"
Are we leading the people in our lives to Christ? To a deeper and more meaningful relationship with our Savior?
Are we mentoring the people in our lives so that they will become more mature spiritually? So that they will be better prepared and equipped to fight Satan and his minions?
Or
Are we leading them and teaching them and being an example of how to do all sorts of things that will help them get ahead in this life... without being concerned with their eternity.
I don't really know what to do with these questions. I mean, I try to teach Iz to brush her hair, take showers, manicure her nails, and to be polite and considerate of others. I'm not so sure that I put the same effort into intentionally leading her to grow spiritually, intentionally equipping her to win battles against Satan's minions, or intentionally helping her to learn to discern the difference between God's voice and Satan's.
I don't want my kids to just have a list of do's and don't's. I don't want them to only do things because we (mom and dad) expect them to...or to not do things simply because they know we won't approve.
I want them to WANT to serve God, to be an example of Christ's love, to make decisions based on who they are in Christ above and beyond everything else.
So many times I feel like I need to do something "BIG" for God.
I lose sight of the seemingly "small" things He has been gracious enough to entrust me with each day.
Big hugs!
K
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