It Starts With One

Mission work feels hard. It is. But I wonder if we make it more complicated than it really is. If God’s love is at the crux of his mission to make his name known, then our call today is simple: Love God and love your neighbor. However, just because something is simple doesn’t mean it’s easy.

When I think about God’s love in action, I think about the work of Bryan Stevenson that started with a single prison visit compelling him to give a voice to the voiceless, to fight for justice, and to call a nation to remember its sins so that it might find repentance and reconciliation.

I think about the tireless work of Sarah Jackson that started with a visit to her country’s southern border. She is now providing hope to those detained in a foreign country, cut off from communication with their families, by providing hospitality lavished with love.

And I think about the challenging work of Professor Dominique Gilliard that started with that first freshman class. He now encourages congregations to live out God’s definition of righteousness and reconciliation in their communities.

The work of these individuals has grown over the years, but these are not the stories of the philanthropic rich and famous. These are the stories of a rookie lawyer, a church assistant, and an adjunct professor with a God-given desire to love “the least of these” in their midst. What one act of love is God calling you to today?

Father, thank you for brothers and sisters like Bryan, Sarah, and Dominique, who inspire me to press deeper into your love and your mission to serve the individuals and families whom you have placed in my path.

Throughout This Day: Invite the Father to show you the good works he has prepared for you to accomplish through your union with Christ.