An Imperfect Resume

Too old, too single, bad eyesight, often sick, a convict, a loner, a record of broken relationships, a former enemy of the church, and a man who was used by God in incredible ways. The apostle Paul had many reasons why he might not make a particularly good missionary. He had plenty of excuses that he could have used to not participate in God’s mission. But he was a missionary, and the end result was many lives radically changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ because Paul was willing to set aside his personal preferences for the message of the gospel.  

The apostle Paul had an imperfect missionary resume, but he had a heart willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of others…in his own words, he put it this way: “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law, I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Cor 9:19-23 ESV)

I want to remind you that if you are a Christian, your God-given mission is to be a missionary. You have been included in Christ’s mission to “seek and to save the lost”(Luke 19:10) –  to actively make disciples of all nations. This sounds like a difficult task that should be left to more qualified people, but it is everyone’s responsibility. We are called to pursue others with the same passion that leads missionaries to leave their families, set aside their preferences, and sacrifice their comforts for the sake of those who have yet to hear about the love of Jesus. 

This passion reminds me of the stories of the Olympic athletes who are competing this week in Italy. When you are given a backstory of the perseverance and sacrifice athletes have to make in order to compete at the highest level of their sport, I cannot help but think of the way the apostle Paul described how he approached his ministry. It was not haphazard, it was not just hoping God might use him some day…he pushed hard into his calling. He used his past failures as motivation to finish well; he pressed in like an athlete throwing their body into the finish line. 

In his own words, Paul describes the pursuit of his mission: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Cor 9:24-27 ESV)

My friends, as we anticipate an exciting missions emphasis week at Hope, I pray we would not just be observers of the things God is doing from a distance, but that we would sincerely consider our role in praying, giving, and even going. Let us fervently pray that God would use us, in spite of our shortcomings, for His wonderful mission of Hope.

Expectantly,

Shawn