Since coming back I have had a lot of thoughts on my mind and heart, but as I am still processing I have a hard time verbalizing them. I mentioned that during my time in Ethiopia, God made it very clear to me His heart for missions, so when people ask my about my trip I share about that. Over and over I have left conversations feeling confused and empty over people's responses. Many people seem to look at what I say as "MY calling", but I see it more as God's command, or obligation to follow. Durng this time I have also read the book "Radical" by David Platt. He has been able to much more eloquently state what has been on my heart.
"I wonder if we in some ways intentionally and in other ways unknowingly erected lines of defense against the global purpose God has for our lives. It's not uncommon to hear Christians say, "Well not everyone is called to foreign missions," or more specifically, "I am not called to foreign missions." When we say this, we are usually referring to foreign missions as an optional program in the church for a faithful few who are apparently called to that. In this mind-set, missions is a compartmentalized program of the church, and select folks are good at missions and passionate at missions. Meanwhile, the rest of us are willing to watch the missions slide shows when the missionaries come home, but in the end God has just not called us to do the missions thing.
But where in the Bible is missions ever identified as an optional program in the church? We have just seen that we were created by God, saved from our sins, and blessed by God to make his glory known in all the world. Indeed, Jesus himself has not merely called us to go to all nations; he has created us and commanded us to go to all nations. We have take this command, though, and reduces it to a calling-something only a few people recieve.
I find is interesting that we don't do this with other words for Jesus. We take Jesus' command in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations, and we say, "That means other people." But we look at Jesus' command in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," and we say, "Now, that means me." We take Jesus' promise in Acts 1:8 that the Spirit will lead us to the ends of the earth, and we say, "That means some people." But we take Jesus' promise in John 10:10 that we will have abundant life, and we say, "That means me."
In the process we have unnecessarily (and unbiblically) drawn a line of distinction, assigning the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges of Christianity for us all. In this way we choose to send off other people to carry out the global purpose of Christianity while the rest of us sit back because we are 'just not called to that.'
...."Maybe the most common response that arises among Christians regarding the global purpose of God is "What about the needs here? Why do we need to be involved with other nations when there are so many in our nation?"
...Certainly there are great needs here. But must we insist on dividing the Great Commission into an either-or proposition? Who told us that we had to choose to have a heart for the United States or a heart for the world? Based on the purpose of God we've seen in the Scripture, shouldn't every Christian's heart be ultimately consumed with how we can make God's glory known in all the world?
...In all this mission's talk, you may begin to think, Well, surely you're not suggesting that we're all supposed to move overseas. That is certainly not what I'm suggesting (though I'm not completely ruling it out!). But this is precisely the problem. We have created the idea that if you have a heart for the world and you are passionate about global mission, then you move overseas. But if you have a heart for the United States and are not passionate about global mission, then you stay here and support those who go. Meanwhile, flying right in the face of this idea is Scripture's claim that regardless of where we live-here or overseas- our hearts should be consumed with make the glory of God known in all nations." -David Platt (taken from pages 72-76)
David Platt goes on to share many examples and stories of people living both overseas and in the United States who are having a global impact. I know that this is a challening and maybe controversial subject for many people, but I think I needs to be considered, talked about, and even applied to our lives. I wish I could quote the entire book-there was so much more that I was impacted by. If you were in anyway challenged, convicted, or encouraged by this excerpt I encourage you to read the whole book; it will be time well spent!
In light of all I have seen, what God has put on my heart, and what I learning now through the bible and books like this, I am challenged to look at my life and consider both the privileges and obligations that I have as a Christian. Am I living the biblically, the way Jesus has called me to live? What needs to change in my life in order to live out the global command that I have been given?
In light of all of this, How will you live?
In light of all I have seen, what God has put on my heart, and what I learning now through the bible and books like this, I am challenged to look at my life and consider both the privileges and obligations that I have as a Christian. Am I living the biblically, the way Jesus has called me to live? What needs to change in my life in order to live out the global command that I have been given?
In light of all of this, How will you live?
Platt, David. Radical: taking back your faith from the American Dream. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah , 2015. Print.
