A Changed Perspective

Psalm 86:9 says “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name.”  I attended a women’s retreat this weekend that was such a sweet, tangible representation of the nations coming together and praising His name.

In Romans 1:11-12 Paul writes, “I long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong, that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”  The women I hung-out with this weekend have a much different ministry than I do.  Most of them are teachers at a school where some of the wealthiest families in the country send their children.  I saw chauffeurs picking children up, and other parents drove up in Jaguars.  I was hesitant to see this as a ministry, these people don’t need help, they have everything they could ever want, I thought.  We have girls who have no food, day after day. After my first night with these women, I was thanking God for the encouragement their ministry had become to me.  

Matthew 10:25 says, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  Money doesn’t define a person’s spiritual life.  Materials possessions are temporal, but salvation is eternal.  One of the women said, “If you can reach the rich, you can reach a nation.” Families at this school have lots of leverage in the community, government, medical field, etc.  This community has the ability to impact thousands for Christ.  The ministry at this school is just as trying and rewarding as mine in the barrio.

My perspective on ministry as a whole changed drastically this weekend.  Ministry is everywhere. Not just in my barrio, not just in the city, not just in Africa, Chicago, Los Angeles, India or Hong Kong. Ministry is in every country, city, state, town and village, and the love of Christ must be shared in each of these places.  It's honestly easier to say this than to truly believe it.  So today, where ever you are reading this from, look at the person next to you: that’s your ministry. Make the most of every opportunity, always giving a reason for the hope you have in Christ.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17