Nursing Homes, Muslims, and Having a Missionary Heart
Many times, we don't have any idea how much of a difference we can make. Here in Texas, the pastor I'm interning for does a Bible study at a local nursing home. We were there this morning, and I was talking to one of the old ladies, and this is what she said: "I was praying, and I said, God, I really don't want to be here anymore. I want to just go home to be with you. But God hasn't taken me yet, so maybe there's still something He wants me to do. I don't do much, but many days I'll go around to the other people here and just talk to them and pat them on the shoulder. Earlier this week I did that and someone said that I'm the only one who ever treats them like that. So maybe that's what I'm supposed to be doing."
I think she's on to something. She's starting to catch a missionary heart -- serving God and loving people where she is at right now. Having a missionary heart isn't really about wanting to go to another country or people group. It's about being ready now, to show the love of Jesus in simple and profound ways to people around you.
On the other end of the spectrum is a young person like me. Sometimes I go into a situation like that nursing home and think, what do I have to offer? What can I do? And God reminds me that He justs wants me to be there, to talk to the people, to treat them like people. To touch them or hug them and encourage them.
I think we overestimate what it might take to impact people. As well, sometimes we don't realize just how many people we come in contact with on a daily and weekly basis.
When I was at Bible College, I had a really cool professor who is a converted Iranian muslim. For one of my classes, he gave us an assignment to come listen to him guest speak at some kind of special Wednesday night service at a nearby church. I guess the church talked it up as learn how to witness to Muslims or something (there are a lot of Muslims in Los Angeles, as well as other places in the country), because my professor was speaking and telling a bunch of funny stories. All of the 300-some suburban American churchgoers were sitting on the edge of their seats, I guess expecting to hear the "secret," the "key," to witness to their Muslim neighbors. This is what my professor said: Just love them. Talk to them when you see them working in their yard, get to know them, invite them over to your house for dinner.
A lot of times, we expect it to be complicated and involved, and it's really not. Sharing the gospel, spreading the love of Jesus, is simple. Now we just have to do it. You may not think of nursing homes and schools and front yards as mission fields, but until you do, you won't grasp or fulfill Jesus' mandate to his disciples: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15).
I think she's on to something. She's starting to catch a missionary heart -- serving God and loving people where she is at right now. Having a missionary heart isn't really about wanting to go to another country or people group. It's about being ready now, to show the love of Jesus in simple and profound ways to people around you.
On the other end of the spectrum is a young person like me. Sometimes I go into a situation like that nursing home and think, what do I have to offer? What can I do? And God reminds me that He justs wants me to be there, to talk to the people, to treat them like people. To touch them or hug them and encourage them.
I think we overestimate what it might take to impact people. As well, sometimes we don't realize just how many people we come in contact with on a daily and weekly basis.
When I was at Bible College, I had a really cool professor who is a converted Iranian muslim. For one of my classes, he gave us an assignment to come listen to him guest speak at some kind of special Wednesday night service at a nearby church. I guess the church talked it up as learn how to witness to Muslims or something (there are a lot of Muslims in Los Angeles, as well as other places in the country), because my professor was speaking and telling a bunch of funny stories. All of the 300-some suburban American churchgoers were sitting on the edge of their seats, I guess expecting to hear the "secret," the "key," to witness to their Muslim neighbors. This is what my professor said: Just love them. Talk to them when you see them working in their yard, get to know them, invite them over to your house for dinner.
A lot of times, we expect it to be complicated and involved, and it's really not. Sharing the gospel, spreading the love of Jesus, is simple. Now we just have to do it. You may not think of nursing homes and schools and front yards as mission fields, but until you do, you won't grasp or fulfill Jesus' mandate to his disciples: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15).
posted by Luke at 1:46 PM
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