By Ken Idleman
Janice and Faye Rosvit are twin sisters who left their very close-knit family circle, their aging parents, their beloved Colorado Rocky Mountains, and promising country-western singing careers to enroll in Bible college. There they studied phonetics and missions before eventually traveling to more than 100 countries of the world.
They have been destitute, sick with dysentery, separated from loved ones, and stung by a Portugese Man “O War. (And that hurts!) Why would they do all of this?
Kevin D. took his wife and children to the jungles of Panama to fight the drug traffic in the United States by planting churches in Central America. They are now in Afghanistan working tirelessly and selflessly to change lives and destinies. Once again they are learning a foreign language, this time in an extremely unstable, Muslim-dominated culture. Why would they do all of this?
Marsha Relyea-Miles from Fort Smith, Arkansas, moved with her husband, John, to the jungles of Papua New Guinea 29 years ago to translate the Bible into a written text for the people. Their three children were born and reared without the social or relational advantages of living in the U.S. John died unexpectedly as the project was being completed. Marsha stayed to finish the project and dedicate the Scriptures before returning to the States. Why would she do all of this?
Steven Muhota left his wife, Joy, and their three children in Kenya, Africa, while he went to Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, to get his Bible education so he could return to Kenya to plant a church, establish a light medical clinic for evangelistic outreach to his people, and establish a home to care for AIDS orphans. Both his mother and mother-in-law have died while he has been in the States preparing. Why would he do this?
John Loftis is a very successful Christian entrepreneur who has, over his lifetime of 70-plus years, done very well in business/real estate development. Now, in the autumn of his life, he is pursuing the distribution of most of his assets/estate to new church planting and missionary causes. Why would he do this?
What motivated these people to invest themselves in outreach to others for the sake of Christ? Something happened that made them reach out with the love and grace of God. And it needs to happen in us, for us to have an impact for Jesus in our world””locally and globally.
COMMITMENT TO OBEY
Not long ago I boarded a plane in Southern California. I was exhausted after two days of nonstop board meetings for a church-planting and funding organization. I was determined to isolate myself for the long flight.
I got a seat on the aisle and was relieved the plane was not crowded. The seat between me and a 30-something African-American young man was empty, and I decided it was providential””that is until I became convicted I needed to say something to him about the Lord.
I resisted the Holy Spirit”s soft but persistent prompting. Finally, the pilot informed us we had 20 minutes before landing in St. Louis. I began to think that if I did not speak to this young man, the plane would go down and I would never see my grandchildren again. So, I folded up my work and leaned across the empty seat between us, introduced myself, and shared my faith.
Before I could say much, he interrupted. “I have just come from San Diego,” he said. “I went out there to meet a girl I met online. It was a disaster. I will spare you the details. All my family is in South Carolina. I am a civil engineer living alone in Chesterfield, Missouri. I am not connecting with people and I am not doing very well right now.”
I asked him if he had ever heard of West County Christian Church. He said, “I pass it every day on my way to the office.” So, I hooked him up. It would not have happened if I had not (reluctantly) obeyed the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
CONSCIENCE ABOUT THE GOSPEL
The apostle Paul”s eagerness to preach the gospel was related to his feelings of obligation. He felt he owed people the good news. He considered himself indebted to the lost (Romans 1:14). God had given Paul something to give to them.
He has done the same with us. We owe the people in our circles of acquaintance and influence the good news that Jesus saves and keeps and satisfies. Must we be reminded it is dishonorable to leave a debt unpaid?
One of the most trusted positions in government is the role of ambassador. God has trusted us with this position (2 Corinthians 5:17ff). He has entrusted to us the ministry and message of reconciliation. He has elevated us to the position of personal ambassador for Jesus Christ.
We have been approved by God to be trustees of the gospel (1 Thes-salonians 2:4). By virtue of our conversion we have been entrusted with the incomparable riches of the gospel. This is why we speak””not to please men, but to please our heavenly Father who tests the genuineness of our faith by our willingness to speak up about it.
COMPASSION FOR LOST PEOPLE
We live in a compassionless age. People are victimized by criminals while others just watch, refusing to aid the victims or even to testify against the perpetrators. Crimes against the weakest and most defenseless among us, children and the elderly, seem to flourish. The heinous crime of partial-birth abortion is surviving challenges in the courts and among legislators. We live in an age of hip-hop lyrics that advocate violence against women and video games that encourage decapitation and disemboweling enemies in merciless combat. Ticket sales for bloody “extreme fighting” are strong around the country. The rich in this world indulge themselves and horde resources while needs in third world countries are unmet as human suffering, starvation, and disease, rage on.
What is your capacity for compassion? “And Jesus, being moved with compassion “ always said something or did something that made a difference in someone else”s life. What his heart felt, his hand touched.
Love for people is not sweet sentimentality. It is doing something tangible, measurable, and quantifiable to produce the highest good in someone else”s life.
CONCERN FOR GOD”S NAME
Are you jealous for God”s name and reputation in our generation? He is blamed for everything from crib death to the war in Iraq. His name is invoked every time there is a tragedy. He is identified with damnation and destruction whether natural or man-made.
Do you ever get disturbed about the bad rap your heavenly Father gets today every time you turn around? How will we correct it? How do we set the record straight? There is only one way: We must reach out and invest in others so God”s name will be lifted up. Does concern for God”s name move you to want to expend yourself for the sake of his name?
The question is not, “Why would they do something like that?” The question is, “Why wouldn”t we want to do something like this?”
Witness to a neighbor or coworker.
Give at least a tithe; live on less and give more with age.
Go on a short-term mission trip.
Serve in the church in a needy area.
Pioneer some kind of ministry to meet a need in the community in God”s name.
Ken Idleman is senior pastor with Crossroads Christian Church, Newburgh, Indiana.
0 Comments