What I am learning about God and Missions.

On a regular basis this thought pops into my head. If I spent as much time in my community in the states praying, working to do good, and speaking about works of Jesus Christ, there is no doubt that I would probably make a bigger impact there then what I do here. While I have the unique situation of ministering to Mexican students who speak English, I still do not know enough of the language to build any real relationships with anyone other then my students and my English speaking foreign counterparts. I do know this will change if we work long enough here.

If we would have so chosen, we could have gotten a job in a State side Christian school, minister to similar students, and build real focused relationships with our English speaking friends and neighbors as many noble minded believers in the states do. It's hard not to think that the fruit of your efforts couldn't be greatly multiplied within your own people group. With that being said, why do some feel a call to go overseas and why does God call some? Why do some spend years laboring over a language and a people for years before they see their first fruit? Surely people with such passion and energy could reap a fruit much greater at home if they expended the same energy.



John Piper in his book "Let the Nations be Glad" had a great illustration that addresses this situation and thought. He talks of a captain leading two large passenger boats through the rough seas. Simoultaneously both boats begin to sink. The captain has 5 trained rescue crews, but they are all on the same boat. These rescue crews work tirelessly to rescue people from that boat. While they are doing so, they hear the cries of those from the other boat. Why would they go? There are more people on the first boat then they could possibly rescue if they worked until the end. Does it not make sense to rescue as many people as possible not mattering what boat they are on. Will not many total lives be lost if two of the rescue boats spend an hour rowing all the way over to the other boat. In that time many from the first boat who could have been saved will drown and only a few will be left for the saving from the second boat.



That in many ways is the story of World Missions. Some countries have a good number of devoted Christians (Still never enough to reap all the fruit available), while others have few or none. It would make sense that these Christians would labor hard amongst their people where they would be most effective instead of going elsewhere where they might labor long and see little fruit. Despite this truth, this does not seem to be God's ultimate plan. While he does desire the salvation of as many as possible, it is clear he desires to call his own people from every nation "ethnos" or people group in the world. For that reason, he sends one or two of the rescue crews to the other boat. In his great compassion, he has a purpose and a desire for those people as well.



Does this make logical sense? I don't know, but I do believe Scripture confirms it's truth. And this truth has helped me, because I still find myself often thinking the same thing. Could I not have been truly more effective helping on the first boat then I am here?



Below are just a couple of the verses which Piper shares that support this often vexing truth.



Rev 5:9 By your blood, you ransomed people for God from every tribe and languange and people and nation.

Gen 12:2-3 "And I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless him who blesses you and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Rom 1:5 "through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations."