Mr. Missionary’s Tough Decision

And one day Mr. Missionary decides that he’s going to go on a little retreat to really evaluate his priorities.  He takes time to pray, read his Bible.  He evaluates his spiritual gifts, God-given talents, and experience, and asks himself,"Am I in the place I should be?  Am I making the best possible use of all these things God has given me?"

He has to be honest – the answer is no.  He could be making far better use of his abilities.  So… he makes the difficult decision to leave the field.

Don’t worry – I’m not dropping a bombshell and telling you that we’re leaving Mexico.  As a matter of fact, Mr. Missionary isn’t me at all.

However, more than once lately I’ve read a similar story written by others serving cross-culturally, and I have to admit, it concerns me.

Now, this isn’t a criticism of any of those missionaries in particular.  They may very well have had many good reasons for leaving their ministry, and God may indeed have been leading them elsewhere.

That being said, it made me think about the way we often choose to make decisions, and I think Mr. M above was missing some key things, in spite of the prayer and Bible reading that made it all look so good.  So what was he forgetting?

Look at it this way.  I’m just entering my second year full time in Mexico.  Let’s say someone is in their first term, finishing a 3 or 5 year commitment in another culture.  They have an opportunity back in their home culture (ie Canada), and they think,"Wow, I think my gifts could be used so much better in that position!"

Do you know what I say to that?

Well, of course!  That’s not a shocker.  You’re living in another culture, struggling with language and basic cultural misunderstandings.  Do you really think that your talents could be used better in your own culture, using your own language, with (particularly if you’re from a more developed country) more technology and information at your fingertips, easier communication – you expect me to be surprised that your talents could be better used there?  Of course they could!

But Mr. Missionary is missing some key factors.  You can tell, because Canada and the USA (for example) have such a wealth of Christian workers and churches and ministries compared to many other parts of the world that it’s a scandal.  If everyone thought this way, no one would ever go anywhere.  And surely that can’t be right.  Surely people need to be sent. (Rom 10:13-15)

Mr. Missionary is not looking at the big picture.  It is not all about him and his abilities.  He is a part of the people of God – the body of Christ.  He is not an individual alone who must make the best decision for himself.

Why is it that everyone says they are at "peace" where they are?  That they aren’t "called" to be in another culture, sharing the Gospel?  If everyone is telling the truth, does that mean that it’s God’s will that people never hear about Him and His love (2Pet 3:9)?  Or could it be that we’re not basing our decisions on all the right factors?

I’m not preaching from a pedestal here – people who have made the decision to serve in another culture are not necessarily doing any better than the people serving in their own culture.  They can be lazy and selfish and ignorant across the seas just as they could be at home – and often are (Rom 7:14-25).  I need to struggle daily to serve God and not myself.  I’m not a better servant because I have a different location.

And I’m not suggesting that all the Christian workers (many so committed, so diligent, making such a difference) in areas with more believers leave to go to an "unreached" area.  Maybe what we need is for a whole new group to rise up and go.

And hey, I’m all for knowing your strengths and focusing on them.  That’s biblical (Acts 6:1-7) (1Cor 12).

But if that’s all I base my decisions on, that’s a problem.  There are so many places in the world where there are hardly any believers to share the Gospel.  Maybe we need to start making decisions that look foolish to the world, start doing things that don’t make sense.

I empathize, especially with "first term" missionaries, because I am one.  It’s not easy.  But if you suddenly realize that your gifts could be better used elsewhere, don’t be surprised.  That’s probably the case.  But is that really a reason to leave?

Maybe God is leading you on.  Maybe someday He will lead us back to Canada.  But if I just say it’s because my talents would be used better there, smack me on the side of the head and tell me that’s not a good enough reason.

(PS Am I the only one thinking of the old Steven Curtis Chapman song?  I made a list wrote down from a to z all the ways I thought that you could best use me; told all my strengths and my abilities…  I formed a plan; it seemed to make good sense.  I laid it out for You so sure You’d be convinced.  I made my case presented my defense.  But then I read the letter that You sent me.  It said that all You really want from me is just — Whatever!  Whatever You say…)