"It takes a special kind of person to be a missionary."
We hear these words a lot. A whoooole lot. I guarantee that we've heard that statement at more than half of the churches we've spoken to while we've been in the States. Probably some of you reading this are nodding your head in agreement to those statements. Can I ask you to pause for just a second? Take a minute to ask yourself why you think those statements are true.
Why are we any more special than our pastor? Than the 9-5 worker who holds weekly Bible studies at their house after their shift ends? Or than the 90 year old widow in the nursing home that sits in her wheelchair and prays fervently for the people God brings to mind?
Can I tell you a secret?
We're not special at all. We're not. But I will tell you what we are...
We're called. We're obedient. We're equipped.
Think about it. Before David was a king he was a shepherd. Before Paul was the apostle and missionary he was Saul, the religious zealot and murderer of Christians. Before Mary was the mother of Jesus she was a simple Jewish woman.
I was a college dropout and custodian. Nicholas was a yard man and associate pastor.
None of us were special. We were called and we were obedient. That's it. And when God calls you and you are obedient to that call, He will equip you.
"It takes a special person." ... I think too often we use that phrase as excuses. We let Satan deceive us into thinking that we're nothing special and that God could never use us. So we become complacent in our Christian life. Missionaries become these "super Christians" that are placed on a pedestal and revered for our bravery and sacrifice. Surely THESE are the only ones God wants to use to spread the Gospel message to the world.
Those of you who have thought these things, or even said one of those phrases to us: I love you. But I want to shake you. And then give you a hug, because I really do love you, and I don't want you to be mislead.
God chose you. No, maybe you aren't called to be a missionary (maybe you are), but you are chosen. God chose to adopt you into His kingdom. You were saved for a purpose.
You were not brought out of darkness into light to simply sit in a pew and say "Amen" during Sunday morning's sermon. You were not saved by the grace of God so that you could simply sit down with your morning coffee and Bible and post about how #blessed you are.
You have a message to share. It's time to put those "Amens" into action. It's time to share that "blessing" with the world. And I don't mean by buying a meal for someone or sticking a "God loves you" Post-It on the fridge at work. Tell someone your story. Tell them how God has saved you through Christ and how He can do the same for them. Tell the gospel. It IS necessary to use words, despite what that cliche says.
We read in the Bible how God is always with us, that He helps us and even goes before us. Don't we believe that? Or is God not big enough to help us overcome our doubts and fears?
We're not special, we're equipped. All of us. Missionary, layman, student, pastor, stay at home mom. Every single one of us have a story to tell, and we're commanded by God to not only tell it, but to make disciples of those we tell it to. He is with us and He equips us to do what He has called us to.
So... go and tell your story.