Musings from Graceland

NOT THE SHORT END OF THE STICK

Earlier this week, I wrote about our upcoming move so that we could enter into a more intense ministry and begin a time of transitioning to our full-time missionary life. I touched on the sacrifices and fears involved. Later, I received a sweet and honest note from a friend who is serving with her friend in a S.E. Asian nation. Barbara empathized about the differences and challenges they have experienced since leaving their comfortable American life. She admitted that there are times when it is very hard to give and serve and give some more. But then she directed me to a blog post she wrote recently and I knew I had to share it here:

NOT THE SHORT END OF THE STICK

One of the underlying fears restraining Christians from abandoning ourselves to doing what God asks is the fear that, if we say yes to His call, we'll miss out in some way; we'll be shortchanged as God strips away the best things in life.

"God is not a deceiver, that He should offer to support us,
and then, when we lean upon Him, should slip away from us."
- Augustine

I’d like to suggest that obeying God's call, even when it means huge life changes, does NOT leave Christians with the short end of the stick. Three years ago we stepped off the beaten track, as Mark left a good job with a great company, leaving it behind for the sake of the call. Yes, there are things about our home culture, and things about our former lifestyle that we miss, but after living almost three years in this new position where God has led us, our family can attest to having found unquestionable gain.

What exactly have we gained?

* a breath-taking front-row display of God's unfailing faithfulness.

* a whole new perspective on how He works through the body of believers to provide for His work.

* an amazingly valuable adventure full of unique experiences shared as a family that has bonded us together as nothing else could have done.

* a much broader world-view; our children number their friends from many continents, and they have grown to appreciate so much about our host culture.

* a vibrant community of fellow-workers who, though imperfect like us, share a common goal and have shown unparalleled inclusiveness.

* the daily delight of feasting on sweet red papaya and tree-ripened pineapples.

* lessons in slowing down and valuing relationships from the lovely example of our Filipino host culture

* a status of honor in this country.

* scenic, warm tropical beaches close enough for a restful day-trip.

* an experience of the universality of the Church as we worship together with believers of other languages.

* increasing compassion and respect for the financially poor around us.

* opportunities to grow in ways we never expected.

"The meaning of earthly existence lies,
not as we have grown used to thinking,
in prospering,
but in the development of the soul."
-Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Would we trade all of this to be back in the U.S. prospering with a consistent paycheck

instead of depending daily on God's provision,

driving an unremarkable minivan instead of riding in colorful jeepneys,

shopping at Target (okay, I admit… I miss Target!)

instead of earning friends among the poor children of the neighborhood?

Will I ever be fooled again into thinking

that some more material stuff could satisfy?

Maybe.

But our family has lived next-door to how the rest of the world lives. We've seen contentment and joy on faces of the poor. We've shared lunch with blind brothers and sisters, sat honored in National Geographic-like tribal ceremonies, worked and laughed with dirty kids who can’t afford to go to school. We've prayed with friends over illness and death and financial stress and loneliness and fear. We've held babies with lice-laced hair and rotting teeth, sung carols with beggar women, shared water with the thirsty and shoes with the shoeless, swept out flood waters, bandaged bleeding feet.

And it's changed us.

God has changed us.

And I haven't even begun to describe the ministry God called us here to do. Though I wish I could, in this context we just are not able to share about our work. But in that too we’ve gained immeasurably!

Is all of this worth what we gave up?

WITHOUT A DOUBT.

Life is short. Eternity is long.

So eternal investments just make good logical sense.

As you answer God's call on your life,

you won’t be left

with the short end of the stick.



To read more about Barbara's eternal investments, visit her blog:   http://us5earthenvessels.blogspot.com/