I just came back from a mission trip to witness to the lost in another country. Handing out candy seemed to be a very minute act of kindness, that anyone can do. At least that is what I thought. Then I saw how the children responded, and how it allowed for conversations with their parents.
Was this what a missionary really does to build relationships?
Could I have done more? After all, God gave me a very social personality. It must have been for me to help Him, right?
WOE….What did I just admit?
Was I saying God’s work could only be accomplished with my assistance?
From the first day of the mission trip, God began to break my heart. I was totally and utterly broken. It was no longer about what I could do, but more about being obedient whenever called. Seeing all people as potential children of God, with pronounced differences, changed my viewpoint.
Seeing what the Lord was able to do in my own life, revealed a parable in action.
Its the parable of the sowing of the seeds in Matthew 13:1-11. You see, others went there before us, witnessing to the same people. Then we were there witnessing, and there will be people after us. We each sowed seeds. As we spoke to people, we could see that some were the soil beside the road that the birds ate, some were the rocky soil, and some were the thorny soil. But some were just the right type of soil, listening to what we had to say, and thinking about it. After returning home, we heard that one of them responded, and was baptized into a saving faith in Christ.
Why did I have to go out of the country to see my sin of relying on my own abilities, instead of God? Well, the answer to that question is obvious. God normally has to take us out of our comfort zone, so we can see our vast need of Him in everything that we do. I definitely was out of my comfort zone. Talking to anyone is not a problem for me, but God needed my total reliance on Him. It became very apparent to me that relying on HIM IS THE ONLY OPTION. I thought my weakness was seen by all, which gave me a feeling of insecurity. How great it is to rely on the Lord!
Handing out candy, I would do it all over again to share the Love of Christ.
What would you do to proclaim Christ?
Our children really do watch us, especially when we are not looking.
Do they see you sowing Seeds of Kindness?
