Supporting kingdom builders

I cannot think of any time when I didn’t want to support missionaries. It seems normal to pray for them, send them letters of encouragement, and if God so leads, to send funds also.

Today’s devotional reading asks why Christians should support missionaries. I’ve not thought out why it should be done because it seems natural. If my Christian friends are sharing Christ with their neighbors, I would support them in prayer and encourage their efforts. Why not those who do it in far-away countries?

Have I ever resisted this? Not to my recall, perhaps because the Lord has supplied the means of support to me. The first time was financial support for a couple in Africa that I’d never met. They were teachers at a Christian academy. I wrote them letters too. Then one year they came back to North America and visited us in our home. I felt I had known them all my life. I was a new Christian, fresh from a sinful and selfish life and still feeling like other Christians looked down their nose at me, but not this couple. They talked to me as an equal and made me realize that my new life in Christ was a reality, an actual new life. I was accepted by God and by His people. In giving to these missionaries, God gave me a gift too as I began to more deeply understand my acceptance into His family.

Since then, God has brought many other missionaries into our lives. Some of them are close friends. We have gone to their far-away homes and stayed with them. God has shown us their labor and the challenges of living in another culture with a new diet, weather, and other adjustments that can only be met by grace. We realize His love in them as they minister to people who may not understand them at all. We their submission to God, to their sending agency, to one another, and how they are given grace to face all that threatens their challenging task. We also realize their workload and the difficulty of finding time for personal devotions, prayer, and worship. Yes, missionaries are ordinary people, but they are in the front lines of our battle against the forces of darkness. God says . . .

“You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.” (3 John 6–8)

The Old Testament the Law of Moses used an analogy for the principle behind supporting those who labor in God’s work. Paul quotes it in the NT as he points out the rightness of supporting missionaries:

“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:9-14)

He urged readers to support those who are in full-time Christian work, but shares that he is intent on sharing Christ with others and was willing to do it without any support at all. He even said,

“But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:15-18)

Knowing the lifestyle of missionaries, it is safe to say none of them are in it for the money, nor for impressing others with their resume. This is not a posh job, nor is it easy. Spiritual warfare, physical disadvantages, emotional challenges, relationship threats, all that the enemy can do to make them ‘go home’ is thrown at them in greater force than any of us who are ‘at home’ will ever face. Yet like Paul, the necessity is laid upon them and they are entrusted with a huge stewardship.

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, my part in supporting Christians in the mission field is nothing compared to the task You have given them. Yet we are workers together. I have not been called to do what You have called them to do nor have they been called to the tasks You have given me. Yet put the two together, and as a team we are building the kingdom. Your grand plan is, as always, quite incredible!

No more pain

Most would agree on two things about pain; it is necessary to show when something is injured or wrong, and no one likes it.

Defining pain is a greater challenge. Is it just physical suffering that comes with injury and illness? Or can this word describe mental and emotional suffering or the torment that comes with bad news, adverse events, broken relationships and other trials? Some would add the idea of taking great pains to do something, making this word mean arduous or careful effort. One dictionary gives the suffering of childbirth a special category under pain. Another allows the use of this word to describe an annoying or troublesome person, calling them a pain.

God associates pain with physical injury also, but adds pain to describe trials and even His discipline when His people need correction and He is teaching us hard lessons.

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

Pain, however it is described, was not part of the original creation. Adam may have felt it if he cut his finger, but at first there was no emotional pain in the garden of Eden. It was only after sin entered the world that pain became a normal response to life’s challenges.

And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life…” (Genesis 3:17)

This verse brings to mind my father’s sweaty, dust—covered face after working his farmland. Some days he came in from the fields smiling in satisfaction, but some days he grimaced in pain, sore and tired from his labor. Working in an office is no different. The pain of physical labor is well known.

There is pain in serving Christ also, not so much because of hard work, although that can happen. The pain is more from negative responses of those who reject Jesus and resist the Gospel, pitting their anger and hatred against the messenger as well as the message.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. (1 Peter 4:12–16)

God knew His people will be persecuted. He warned us but also said that persecution was an honor for it shows we are living for Him. Pain suffered for doing evil things is never a badge of honor.

Regardless of what causes the pain in my life, from silly things of my own doing to the reactions of those who do not want to hear about Jesus, I’m stuck with it. Rather than try to escape it with pills, booze or some other distractions, it seems wiser to figure out any purpose it might have and let God use it for my good.

Also, the Lord promises that pain will end. It is now part of human existence, but one day it will cease to be in the vocabulary of those who follow Jesus...

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

I love my job

Job descriptions are important. Without them, I can only imagine the chaos in a work place if some people were doing only the work that appeals to them, others were coming along and redoing the same tasks, and vast areas were being neglected.

Job descriptions for paid positions are vital, but they are also important for volunteer organizations. While bringing my “style” into an unpaid job could have some value, doing my own thing without giving attention to the others causes confusion and ensures that I do not meet their expectations or get the job done.

My local church also has certain positions with job descriptions. Many of these descriptions are not written, but because the Bible is so clear about how we are supposed to behave, much of what we do or how we do it is included in Scripture.

For instance, my assigned task is to facilitate a Bible study class. I’m to show up at 9:30 every Sunday with prepared study material and lead the class through it. Nothing is given to show me how to do that, but the Bible gives the fuller job description. One passage says this:

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. (Romans 12:10-13)

I am supposed to care about the women in my class and put their needs ahead of my own. I’m to be diligent in research, preparation, and teaching, but also persevere in loving them. I need to remember that in serving them, I am serving the Lord. I’m to be joyful as I hope for fruit in their lives, patient when trials come (and they do), continually praying for all of them, meeting their needs whenever I can, and welcoming them into my life.

I left out one phrase that the Lord is nudging me as a point of focus: fervent in spirit. This speaks about having an enthusiastic attitude, being excited about what I do.

Last night in a television advertisement for a job placement service, I heard several “actors” say, “I love my job.” As I listened, I tried to remember the last time I heard anyone in real life say this. Many people complain about work and dislike their job.

The job might not be the whole problem. I notice that little things like not getting enough sleep can destroy my enthusiasm for just about anything. Lack of clear instruction (a good job description) can make me hesitant rather than fervent in spirit. Working without encouragement or praise will dull my edge, and little or no visible results from my work often make me feel like giving up.

In my spiritual service to God, I know that enthusiasm requires the Holy Spirit. If I am filled with me, my energy will not last, but His help includes resolve, persistence, and a zeal that is deep and ongoing. Not only that, if my job description is not clear, He knows what I am supposed to do and will guide me along the way.

I’ve struggled with all sorts of things the past few days. One of them has been too many jobs and each one with demands for excellence, precision, and a deadline. I’ve been up too late most nights and tired. Last night I turned off my alarm and managed to sleep a bit longer than normal. Sleep helps, but so do the promises of God.

The Lord reminds me that even though I cannot see the results of my labor, He can. He says, “Do not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9) and with that urges me to pay attention to my job description, be fervent in spirit and enjoy what I am doing.

This is my job

Last week someone who had just retired from employment asked me if I’d known the freedom of not having to work. I replied that I didn’t have a job, and with tongue in cheek said that I was a “kept” woman.

However, this is not true. I do have a job. God gave me the calling to love and obey Him, which can sometimes mean much hard work. I could say there is no pay, but the retirement benefits are out of this world, but old jokes aside, the hardest thing that I do each day is pray. Often I don’t feel like it, procrastinate, and sometimes fail to show up for work, yet clearly prayer, particularly for others, is a huge part of my job description.

This week God showed me how selfish my prayers can be. As I was praying for God to save those in my family who do not know Him, I recognized that some of what drives me to pray is a self-centered desire that life would be much easier for me if they were Christians.

After confessing this to God, I felt sort of blank. Without that drive I still wanted to pray for them, but wasn’t sure how, so I asked the Lord to show me what He wants me to pray concerning them. As usual, He answers my questions from His Word.

The first passage that jumped off the pages at me is Isaiah 57:15, “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’”

This section goes on to say that God does not contend forever with proud people because if He did, our spirits would fail. When we turn from Him, He will discipline us, but even when He does that, we tend to continue in our slide. However, He says that He will heal those who depart from Him and restore peace to their hearts.

I have to apply this first to myself. Pride cannot be part of my thinking when I pray. I cannot want my family to be saved so my heart can boast in what my prayers have done, or in anything I have contributed. It is God who saves, not me or my words and actions, and God who must get the glory.

At the same time, when I pray for them, I can ask God to recognize their inability to respond to Him. Pride does that to me, so I know that their pride is a huge barrier to knowing God. I can ask Him to humble their hearts and make them contrite before Him. He can do this with me so I know that He can do it in them.

The next verse that caught my heart is Isaiah 59:21, “‘As for Me,’ says the Lord, ‘this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,’ says the Lord, ‘from this time and forevermore.’”

God is speaking to Israel, but He also speaks to me. He promises that He will keep me focused on Him and His Word and even more, He will do the same for my children and their children. Can I claim this promise? As a member of His family, I believe that I can so I can pray that He will put His Spirit upon them and put His words in their mouths.

The next verse is 1 Timothy 6:12. It says, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

God tends to divert me from my questions about other people with direct commands about my own life, in this case, my prayer life, which is my job.

For this verse, my study Bible offers this footnote: “The Greek word for ‘fight’ gives us the English word ‘agonize,’ and was used in both military and athletic endeavors to describe the concentration, discipline, and extreme effort needed to win. The ‘good fight of faith’ is the spiritual conflict with Satan’s kingdom of darkness in which all (people) of God are necessarily involved.”

Essentially God is saying to me that how I pray isn’t as important as just doing it. I can ask for specifics as He reveals them to me, but I need to “get a grip on the reality of the matters associated with eternal life” so that I will live and pray with an eternal perspective. It is to this labor that I am called.

It'd be okay with me if my family tree is just a birch or a pine!

Somehow the lot has fallen to me to research our family tree. My family, both near and far, want to know their roots, but none of them want to dig them up.

The task is not my favorite. I get totally bogged down, even after taking a workshop on how to do it. The ‘experts’ say, ask one question about one ancestor, and focus; dig until you find it. This means searching in various places using various resources. My problem is while I am in that one search for one answer, I think, “While I’m in here, I might as well see if this resource has anything about so-and-so.”

That makes me go in circles for hours. Then, when I’ve moved on, I can’t remember who and what I’ve already looked for. I’m okay with the focused questions if I write them in my research log, but seldom think to record the rabbit trails, and get annoyed with myself for wasting so much time running down them.

Staying focused on one question is difficult. I’ve a variety of places where the answer could be found, or not. I can look on the Internet with its vast array of free and commercial sites. It’s kind of cool to find a relative on an old census, but most of the sites want money up front before they tell me if the “hit” is really the person and information I want. Or I might discover that I have to send away for a microfilm, or go to the archives, or get into a chat room.

If the question is interesting, and the search becomes fascinating detective work, I can do it. If it is the date someone got married, or the year they arrived in Canada, or some other statistical data, my interest quickly lags. The only great find so far was discovering two distant cousins I didn’t know I had, contacting them by email, and getting to know them, including that they are both Christians.

Some people think genealogy is extremely important because there is so much of it in the Bible. However, most of that is given to trace the human history of Jesus Christ and to prove that He is a descendant of David, just as the promised Messiah would be. Other lists simply show what family someone came from and that people are who they are.

I’m thinking most people today use genealogy records to give them a sense of identity, a sense of belonging. When I found the spot in Scotland, perhaps even the very house, where my grandfather was born, I felt affirmed as a member of my clan, but I already know who I am.

What has any of this to do with my relationship with God, my every day life, and my eternal destiny? Maybe that is my problem—I can’t see the point of doing this. My identity is in Christ, not in my family records.

Today’s devotional took me to a family tree in 1 Chronicles 4. At the end it says, “Now the records are ancient. These were the potters and those who dwell at Netaim and Gederah; there they dwell with the king for his work.”


The comment says that each person has his or her work to do. In those days, you could be a soldier or a gate-keeper, but your role was vital to the kingdom. The same is true today. In the service of my King, Jesus Christ, whatever role He gives me has value. I’m not an evangelist reaching thousands, nor a parking lot attendant sorting cars in the church lot each Sunday, but my role fills a spot that suits my King—and I didn’t find that out studying my family tree!

A good work ethic in a booming economy

The very young clerk in a high-end women’s clothing store completes a sale while continuing a personal call on her cell phone. A bank teller, who is a bit older, makes a customer stand and wait while she finishes wrapping a Christmas gift. Two clerks totally ignore a customer standing at the till with a purchase. After waiting a long time, she gives up, puts the item on the counter, and leaves the store.

Our part of the world is experiencing an economic boom plus a huge shortage of labor. My husband’s place of work is expanding so fast that they are out of space every week, looking for floors of empty offices anywhere they can find them. The fast-food chains are importing workers from Mexico and other countries. We’ve had debates about the ethics of hiring pre-teens to work some of those jobs.

Jobs are easy to find, wages are high, and getting fired is almost impossible. My daughter is worried that this boom is going to produce an entire generation of young people without a work ethic.

I’ve been thinking about the source of the ‘work ethic’ she is talking about. People can do a good job out of a genuine concern about the customer, respect for the boss and the business they work for, and a basic honesty and desire to do a good job, OR it can be from a fear of losing their job because they need the money and have to support themselves and their family. For some, their work ethic might be a combination of both, but remove any threat to job security, and I’m sure an employee’s motivations for working will soon show up!

I opened my Bible this morning to Ephesians 4. It begins with, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called . . . .”

Paul lived out what he believed. He is the highest example, other than Christ, of someone who practiced what he preached, who lived out his code of conduct. By doing his job the way his Employer wanted him to do it, he didn’t get a raise in salary (which was zero in the first place), or a cushy retirement package. Instead, he was put in prison for his faith.

Yet Paul urged others to do the same as he did, to walk worthy of their calling, to live out their position in Christ. He exalted the ‘job’ far above any reward or remuneration, at least on this earth.

He had reasons for his work ethic. First, God told him to “spend and be spent” for the sake of the Gospel. He loved and believed in his Boss, and trusted Him to supply all his needs. He knew that his term of employment was short compared to eternity, and if he did his job well, many others might join him there, with Christ, forever.

Second, eternal rewards were more important for him than temporary ones. He knew what lasted and what did not. He kept his eyes on Christ, and focused on what was going to last. He didn’t consider short-term gain a priority.

Third, as this passage says, he saw the reality of what Christ does for people who walk with Him. He didn’t want that to be diminished but perpetuated through the obedience of His people. When I walk worthy of my position in Christ, I am adding strength to the entire Body of Christ. Each person’s contribution to our Employer is important to the entire kingdom of God.

The most important reason I can think of for Paul’s work ethic is that it was part of his new nature in Christ. When Jesus saved him, He filled this man with Himself. The nature of Christ is to give, to be honest, to care about others, to do what He is called to do without complaint or slacking off. Paul’s work ethic was part of his character as a believer in Jesus Christ and he consistently urged others to ignore the desires of their old sinful nature, and live in the incredible power of the Holy Spirit.

Today’s slacking off in the workplace is partly the result of this booming economy, but it is also a manifestation of what is going on in people’s hearts. If a person lacks integrity and a heart for others, it doesn’t matter if jobs are scarce or not—that attitude will come out. If they have a good attitude toward people, their boss, and working, that will be seen.

The bottom line for me is that because I am a saved, sanctified, and transformed child of God, I’m supposed to act like it. I’m not out there in the current workforce, but I’m still ‘employed.’ My Boss expects me to be on time, ready and willing to take on any assignment He gives me. He expects me to deeply care about the people that He asks me to serve, to be quick to do His bidding, and to remember always that He is the boss, that the pay comes later, and that my retirement package is out of this world!