The Mission of Missions

"I'm so afraid of airplanes, I don't think I'll ever be able to go on a mission trip."

I hear it all the time. And you know? That's absolutely fine. I never get upset that they'll never experience the humbling feeling of realizing that your specific little busy life in America is so small and unimportant in this big, complicated world that God sent His only Son to die for. That they'll never experience the struggles of realizing nope, not everyone speaks English like we all imagined in our small, American-standard minds. That they'll never experience the pure joy in a child's eyes as they receive new clothes.

That's fine. That is an experience that we, that have experienced, should call a blessing. A once in a lifetime opportunity.

What does get me upset is Christians have located missions far.. far.. away. Mission's trips in our minds only exist in South America, Africa, Asia and Europe. You know, in the back streets in El Salvador, in a hut in Africa, on a boat in Asia or in downtown Europe. And all those things ARE happening and that is stinking awesome!!!! The Bible reads, go into all the world and share the gospel. And it's happening praise God. But mission's in our minds has become so distant. Missions has been placed on a map. A destination that you'll only grace with your presence for 7 to 10 days and then be gone. Nothing but a memory and a photo on instagram to those people that you invested your time and boo coodles of money in.

What Christians have absent-mindedly determined is that mission's is somewhere else that isn't where our everyday lives are. We disregard that the moment we step out our front door we ARE on the mission field. We aren't in a third world country where we send clothes, food, shoes and rebuild buildings but, we are surrounded by hurting, lost people with needs who all are searching for real love. Surrounded by people who all want to know that they belong to someone and somewhere. They want to know that someone cares and there is a reason to wake up every morning to enjoy life. There isn't a language barrier but, isn't it funny that though we can speak to people about Jesus in America every stinking day, we'll just assume someone else will do it. Leave it to the pastors to save America. Then, we will get all prayed up, fast for months, save all kinds of money, do tons of fundraisers, and fly to another country and talk 24/7 about Jesus with the aid of an interpreter. An interpreter, of course if you're lucky. Most of the time you're just left to you're own resources through broken Spanish to express "Jesus Christ loves you"!

I think I have had a self-examination at the fact that though I can't afford a mission's trip at the moment, there are so so so so many options for me to reach out here in my hometown. I can love and give here just as much as I can in South America. That I can share Christ here with no language barrier just the same as I can in Africa with the presence of a language barrier. This is me stretching me to see more that I have been seeing. To notice things that I haven't noticed. There are children here that are orphans. There are people here who are homeless. There are shacks here to be mended. I think the difference with American missions is that Americans are tired of Christ being SHARED with them but, not being SHOWN to them. When we're on the mission field, we are the best representations of Christ that we can possibly be because we are trying to bring souls to the kingdom. But, the moment we come back home it's like we decide to take off our "Jesus" shoes and put back on our "Christian" shoes. We forget....there are still souls here! You know how you'll know?? TRAFFIC. That first experience of jam packed traffic after a mission's trip and all your patience is gone, assess the thoughts and the words that you say. All of a sudden the people who are around you are nothing but, in the way. They aren't souls in your eyes like the sweet little spanish women in Costa Rica. They are just, in the way.

All I am trying to express is what if we treated everyday like the mission field? What if the moment you stepped out your front door for work you saw your city as your mission field? I think it would change everything. There would be a sense of urgency and compassion that you would experience every day. Not irritation and impatience. You could quite possibly walk in Christ's love every day. Instead of seeing people as a constant conflict you would see them as a soul that Jesus longs for. There wouldn't be a need for "Christian" shoes. You could just show Jesus. #irony

I encourage you, next time you're at the grocery store and you want to let the lady in front you have it, imagine her as a soul that's eternity is at stake. I'm 100% certain your aggravation will disappear in minutes and all you will want to know is, does she know my Jesus? Missions isn't distance. Missions is your neighbor. That's the mission of Missions.