When many of us think of mission work, we think of big ideas like moving to India, taking care of the impoverished, and spreading the Gospel. We think about rejecting our old life and throwing ourselves into the seemingly impossible, and while we may have the desire to change the world through such things, it’s not everyone’s calling.
God calls special people that he has qualified to do hard things in other countries, but the rest of us he calls into our backyards, cities, and inner circles.
Not everyone is called to be a missionary to another country, but we are all called to participate in Christ’s mission. Instead of dreaming outside of the areas we live in, we should be focused on the people in front of us who need the love that is only found in Jesus … but how will they know him if we don’t first show our love for him or talk about him? And for those of you still grappling with the fact that being a missionary doesn’t mean you have to sell everything you own and hop on the first flight to a far-off area, remember that there is really no difference between what we do at home and what we do elsewhere.
Wherever we are, we are called to love people, share the Gospel with them, and do our best to follow and obey God, all the while pointing people back to him. So, let’s minister to our communities and make our stomping grounds our mission grounds because you never know what may happen if you just make yourself available to God.
Father, thank you for making each of us labourers in the harvest. Remind me that you are sending me out into that harvest today, and keep me sensitive to your direction so that I seize the opportunities to serve that you are graciously offering me.
Throughout This Day: Ask God to show you whom he wants you to reach out to as you go through your day.
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