Sunday evening, I had the privilege of listening to a report given by one of the missionaries that North Charleston supports. It was a fascinating presentation. I was enthralled by every picture, every statistic, and every evangelistic method they use. I sat watching a man talk about his life’s work, a hard work that he does day in and day out in the country where he was born – in a country with less than 2000 Christians – in a country where you can drive 8 hours to get to a faithful congregation of the Lord’s people.

I sat in my comfortable pew. I had just come back from a week where I was surrounded by more than 2000 Christians. So, I wrongfully thought to myself a thought I’d often had in regard to missionaries: that poor missionary!

What must it be like to sacrifice so greatly for the cause of Christ? What must it be like to struggle against the culture? What must it be like to fight with all you have to strike up conversations about the Bible?

Therein lies the problem with my statement, right? If I don’t know the answers to those questions, how faithfully am I living out my discipleship to Christ?

Jesus has called all of those who will wear His name to be people of sacrifice. We are all to be people who daily take up our cross (Luke 9:23) and give our all for Him. We are all to be people who spend our days as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2) who wrestle against the ungodly cultures we live in. We are all to be people who strive to tell others about our Savior, who all give as much as we possibly can of ourselves and our resources to the Kingdom. We are all supposed to live that way, not just that poor missionary!

When we see these noble men carrying the gospel to places we may never visit, we marvel. But we also get a little nitpick, don’t we? If a missionary we supported came back to give a report and we saw that he was living a luxurious and excessive lifestyle, we would balk at that, right? How dare this man use money intended for the spreading of the gospel on all of these extras?!

Therein lies the second problem, right? I am a steward of blessings and money just like that missionary, and yet it’s ok for me to blow my money on whatever I want, instead of setting aside a large, even uncomfortable portion for the Lord.

Jesus wants cheerful givers (2 Cor. 9:6-7). Jesus wants people who rely on the Lord for their necessities (Mt. 6:33) and don’t store up resources for a later date that they aren’t even guaranteed to see (James 4:13-17, Luke 12:15-22).  Jesus wants us to help the poor spiritually and physically (Mt 25), and help our brethren especially (Gal. 6:10). Jesus wants this for all of His disciples, not just the “poor missionaries”.

I want to be more like a missionary. I want to see my surroundings as a mission field, and strive with as much zeal and all of my talents and resources to reach the lost. I want to be spent when my life is over, because I can rest on the other side (Rev. 14:13).

I may have been guilty of thinking about “that poor missionary” in the past, and maybe you have as well, but let’s all strive to be just like them. Ever giving. Ever teaching. Ever working.

If you’re interested, read this post from a missionary in southeast Asia and her reflections on not being entitled to comfort.