I’ll be honest, I come from a family of heroes.
Now before you get images of the incredibles running through your mind I should probably mention that unless you know them personally you have probably never heard of them. None of us have super powers or are famous. But, when I think about the impact that my parents and sisters have on the world around them I am truly inspired.
My mom and dad are pastors of a small church in PA. They work harder than almost anyone I know. I’m amazed at the love that they carry for our congregation. They started off their lives together as poor YWAM missionaries in Spain. They didn’t have money and their stories of trusting in God and living on the edge always inspire me when I think about doing missions work. For most of their 20s and 30s they were living in a foreign country with almost nothing, simply trusting God to supply and sustain them. I love the fact that this is part of my lineage and they I come from such heroic and radical parents!
My oldest sister is a now a pastors wife. She is one of the most dedicated people I know. Spending three years doing Bible training in Malaysia, Jenn is such a servant hearted woman. She is dedicated to seeing people changed by the word of God. In a lot of ways Jenn helped to pave the way for Marisa and I to live and work overseas. As the older sister she took the first plunge of living in another country. While I wish I was had the opportunity to get to know her more in high school, I’m so proud of the work she has done. After working with YWAM in Malaysia, Jenn worked for over five years to help support herself and Chris (her husband) while Chris finished seminary, she put off having a family until just this past November, when She and Chris had their first son, Ian. She’s so committed to family and following after God’s calling.
Marisa moved to South Africa right after graduating college to help empower SA entrepreneurs and inspire hope in a country where poverty and hopelessness are rampant. I’m always so inspired when I think about the sacrifices she has made, and the impact she is having on that nation. Like the rest of my family, she is an incredibly hard working. Her compassion mixed with a strong desire for justice has made her one of the most driven and inspiring people I know. When Marisa commits to something she sticks with it, and I’m blown away by the impact she has had by simply being obedient to God’s calling.
So why am I bragging on my family? Because I’ve noticed something in their lives that I hope to imitate. My family is focused on eternity. Now don’t get me wrong, they aren’t those people who ignore the present because they are so caught up in the future. Instead, they are the people who realize that these short years they have on earth are a privileged gift to serve God. They have sacrificed much, and yet are some of the most thankful people I know. It is their intimacy with God and their commitment to seeing people transformed by the gospel that inspires me to pursue God even more. We all need heroes in our lives, and God blessed me with a family full of them.
One of the most challenging things I’ve faced this year is my job as an admissions counselor on campus. I talk to a lot of people about the future. Honestly, sometimes it is the most depressing part of my job. Why, you ask? Because I am constantly talking to people who are so focused on this present life that they seemingly don’t care about eternity. When someone starts to tell me that the reason they can’t be a missionary is because of needing a better “job” or wanting to go to a larger university, or even not wanting to leave home, my heart aches
Are we missing the greatest opportunity of our lives because we are so focused on us?
We have been given an incredible gift. A few short years to serve God out of choice while a godless world screams at us to abandon Him. Will we seize the opportunity to sacrifice everything and to reach the world around us?
Will we stop focusing on our stories and embrace the greater story of God redeeming humanity?
My challenge for you, the reader, is one that I am currently posing to myself. What are my motives for what I am doing? I recently heard it takes asking why five times to truly discover the motive of why you are doing something. It’s painful and scary to ask this question.
But the simple fact is that until we are doing what we do, for the glory of God, it is not worth doing.
So ask the question, pursue the calling, and let Jesus get the glory.
