Love Your Neighbor
I believe that we don't have to go anywhere to be a missionary. God wants us to be missionaries right where He has placed us. If we are faithful here, then maybe He will send us out to be a light for in in other lands.
Love Your Neighbor
The splinters that surround us speak
Of fields of newly ripened corn;
We do not have to cross the globe
To find those set to be reborn—
The shattered hearts cry out for love,
But we so quickly pass them by;
When will we see we hold the salve
For which their dying souls have cried?
The fields are ready in our towns,
If we can see the pain they bear;
It’s love they need, not our rejection—
Are we the priest who didn’t care?
But if we can become the neighbor
Who helped the beaten man find rest,
Through us they’ll see our Savior
Bestowing love on the oppressed;
If we can piece their hearts together
Through us they’ll feel Christ’s gentle hands;
And when they see He lives today
They’ll gladly follow His commands—
If we can learn to step in faith
Where Christ positioned us today,
It is our lives that serve as guides
To help them find the narrow way.
Love Your Neighbor
The splinters that surround us speak
Of fields of newly ripened corn;
We do not have to cross the globe
To find those set to be reborn—
The shattered hearts cry out for love,
But we so quickly pass them by;
When will we see we hold the salve
For which their dying souls have cried?
The fields are ready in our towns,
If we can see the pain they bear;
It’s love they need, not our rejection—
Are we the priest who didn’t care?
But if we can become the neighbor
Who helped the beaten man find rest,
Through us they’ll see our Savior
Bestowing love on the oppressed;
If we can piece their hearts together
Through us they’ll feel Christ’s gentle hands;
And when they see He lives today
They’ll gladly follow His commands—
If we can learn to step in faith
Where Christ positioned us today,
It is our lives that serve as guides
To help them find the narrow way.
posted by Benjamin Graber | 9:34 AM
4 Comments:
:-)
Very well said. Is that a response though, to some of my blog posts? ;-)
An interesting thing to note: for some reason, foreign missions work helps out greatly to encourage and start things, but internal evangelization using the indigenous people continues it greater.
Very well said. Is that a response though, to some of my blog posts? ;-)
No, actually this is something I've been thinking a lot about lately because of what God's been doing in my life. There is a part of me that would love to go out on the mission field, but right now I know that He wants me to be a witness for Him right where I am at.
An interesting thing to note: for some reason, foreign missions work helps out greatly to encourage and start things, but internal evangelization using the indigenous people continues it greater.
I agree; maybe it's because people from the same culture can understand each other better than we as outsiders can.
Ben
Regarding the last comment, because of the company I used to work for, I know that part quite intimately. However, there are some that would completely do away with missionaries (yes, shocking!). What I've observed is that the initial push and continual encouragement is important. Sort of like kids, Christians new and old grow up. We need more sometimes and less other times. Missionaries are kind of parents to people in certain places... the new converts do a better job of growing a base, but they still want and like someone around every once and awhile.
Just some thoughts from a guy behind a desk who helped out those in the field for a few years. Sometimes I wish I could go out into the field, but not now. If I take flights anywhere, right now it'll only be to US destinations. Possibly Ohio, in time.
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