Out of Context

Out of Context
As a missionary in a third world country I have much to say, experiences to tell, and Good News to share. No amount of school, no amount of reading could prepare one for the mission field. You might get an idea, but it’s the day to day life that educates you on what to do and not to do. More than that it’s the day to day prayer life that will make the work a success or the lack of prayer life that will allow the evil one to succeed.

When I read the Bible my mind jumps about. I take things out of context, words and phrases jump out at me. Is it God’s way of teaching me? Or is it my conscience eating at me? We should never take the words of the Bible out of context, so I’ve been told. However they’ve been quite a blessing to me.

Christ ministered to the whole man; mind, body, and soul. He did not force feed the Good News. He methodically loved all those he encountered. The man our faith is centered around only preaches to us one time with his words but his actions have moved us to strive to be the Christians that we want to be.

"You of little faith” (Matt 16:8) is what rings through my head when a new project comes our way. When I think that we’ll never be able to make it work. When a success some how seems to revolve around whether or not I can get it done or whether I can get people excited. My little faith.

I have seen this happen to me so many times, my faith has grown, my dependence on God has increased but yet I am weak. Do you still not understand? (Matt 16:9) It jumps out at me. Why can’t I get it? Well, I seem to get it for a while then it slips a way bit by bit.

He revealed his glory, and they put their faith in him. (John 2:11) It sounds so easy. Who are they, can I talk to them, can I get some pointers. I long for the spirit to help me to that next level of faith. God has revealed his glory!

As I see so much need all around me. As Ally and I talk alone at night. The images that run through our heads as we lie in bed. A beggar longing to eat (Luke 16:20-21), a man crippled in his feet (Acts 14:8), someone covered with sores (Luke 16:20), orphans in distress (James 1:27), folks longing to eat (Luke 16:21), an invalid for thirty-eight years (John 5:5-6). "I have compassion for these people, He says (Matt 15:32). I want that same compassion, not just sometimes, but all the time.

We lie in our soft bed, under a warm blanket. Our bellies are full our children are healthy. What is it that is bothering us? Why am I restless? Does my conscience scream at me about the injustice of society? Has God blessed my family beyond what I can comprehend? God has told me that he has plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future (Jer 29:11-12). He has done it all. My family can Rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4). The roads are rocky, rutted, narrow and muddy in Honduras. They are so hard to travel sometimes. I ask the Lord, What am I to? What is your will Lord? His response is simple, For I know the plans I have for you, (Jer 29:11). But His will and his plan is hard to grasp. My feable mind can’t do it alone, I know that I must lean not on my own understanding (Prov 3:5).

So we continue to press on. We continue to travel down this rough dirty road. I pray that it will be said of us, “as he traveled, he came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him (Luke 10:33).” I pray that we’ll be able to say, they all ate and were satisfied (Matt 15:37). Our quest to plant seeds will continue. That’s what we are called to do, plant seeds. One by one.

We’ll plant the seed, someone will water it, but God will make it grow. So not me, planting nor the guy who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow (1 Cor 3:6).

Educating more than 300 children each day, with Christ’s, love, and nutrition for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Mark 10:14-15), empowering women with a skill of sewing to earn money, educating young men with a trade and keeping them out of gangs, treating sick who walk for two days for treatment, loving kids forsaken by their parents, sharing knowledge of agricultural production from God’s creation and teaching God’s word to elderly widows who walk 3 hours through the mountains to worship God with her church family is what we do. And one day not far from now they’ll say, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number” (Acts 2:41).

A team of dedicated missionaries, Latinos and Anglos alike, will work hard. They’ll love as many people as possible, they’ll minister to not nearly enough but to as many as the day will allow, and they’ll be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer (Rom 12:12).

And we’ll continue to share with God's people who are in need. We’ll practice hospitality (Rom 12:13). And we will not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself (Matt 6:34).

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers (1 Thess 1:2-3). We know that if it were not for the many people back in the US praying for the work we have been called to do that it would not be the success that it is.

And as for those, that we see all around us, that we serve on a daily basis, the down trodden, needy, the poor. The poor you will always have with you, (Matt 26:11). So we’ll always have work. Unbeknownst to them, the poor make the work easier. They don’t worship idols. Their lack of material blessings is one of their biggest blessings. For when you are weak, then you can be strong (2 Cor 12:10). The only mission that Lazarus had was achieving a scrap of food. He called nothing in the world his own, but so rich he was. The beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side (Luke 16:22).