Burned?

It has taken some hundreds of years before non-white people have realized that land, flora and fauna management is best done in humility and respect of native American's centuries-old practices of planned, controlled burns. Some still stay arrogant and ignorant in such matters.

I and many readers pray that the "Lord of the harvest would send workers into the fields" as there are many who have little to no credible witness of the reality of God, His faithfulness and grace meeting human need, the depths of sins, forgiveness, eternal life. Yet too often we are silent, remove ourselves from those in deep need beyond and even within any sort of church gathering.

Paul was serious in writing he didn't preach himself but Christ and I have sought to follow his example, also recognizing all professing followers of Jesus do -not- have the same callings and giftings of, for example, evangelist, pastor, teacher and so on. All are clearly not called by God to the exact same mission service -and yet all are indeed missionaries whether ignorant, afraid or even disobedient to the Lord regarding mission.

In particular, if you are called to work with and among broken, addicted, sometimes deeply sinful people who have skills in deception you may well get burned. There is no mystery in that! Yet if God calls and confirms you in such mission (remember Jonah and even Peter after the Lord's resurrection) what do you do? "Protecting" yourself from God's will is not only a disaster, it's a textbook course in self being more important to you than the One you call your Lord.

So it's never been a wonder to me that so few among professing Christ-followers do not and will not serve in difficult mission fields -whether outside or even within various churches. Meanwhile the miseries of sin, destructive habits, meanness, despair, distance from the true God and shared, passed-on heartbreak continue in a world where Christians live pretty much as pre or unbelievers do with the mission of God left dormant as far as human involvement is concerned.

Oh I am quite aware and believe God doesn't need nor depend fully on our works of serving broken people in the sense He is all-sufficient in Himself and His Own power and love for people. He's the Supreme direct Communicator. From His Word as well as experience and plain sense I'm just as aware He calls us to action and even at times to places of "harm's way" that people would be saved to know and follow Jesus as genuine disciples. This is what love looks like -both from Him and His love extending through you and me which we are commanded to live out!

Have I and plenty of others gotten burned? Of course! I've been reading about wildfire fighters and 9-11 responders who died or now live with or will die of respiratory diseases in the process of their mission. Not all are called to this and any number of other essential services and I get that, but you get my point...

How much is love and sharing the love of Jesus worth to us?

Are you called? How are you responding to Him?

Take a long, deep read of Jesus' comments in John chapter 15 and you'll begin to realize "getting burned" is part of the call to genuine, authentic disciples of Christ.

God give us grace to love by loving regardless of the personal cost!!

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn