Frequently Asked Questions: "Why Missions?" Part 1

James sauntered up to me while I was working at my laptop this afternoon. He was intently sifting through the various bills in his old hand-me-down leather wallet while he made his way toward me. Selecting the appropriate bill, he slid it out and laid a crisp ten on my keyboard and said, "Well, its February. Time to pay my missions support." I was shocked he remembered and truly pleased that he was following through with his commitment. I must admit, however, shock and pleasure were not the strongest emotions I felt. I was deeply touched and greatly encouraged. It was a eureka moment for me. As the Holy Spirit was speaking to my son, He was also teaching me a lesson.  Perhaps I should explain.

Last month we had an appointment with a couple that had interest in supporting us and the work in Colombia. The whole family went, as we often do, but this appointment was slightly different. Usually our children are busy talking or playing with each other in another room or off to themselves while Heather and I share the vision for mission ministry. On this occasion we shared the vision over a meal. The kids listened intently, but I thought nothing of it. Honestly, I was just glad they were behaving so well!

That evening when we returned home, Heather and I settled at the kitchen table to discuss our visit and how good God is. James came into the kitchen with his wallet and painstakingly counted every dollar in it. "Twenty, forty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety, ninety-five, ninety-six...one hundred seven." He then looked up at me with crocodile tears and said, "Dad, the Holy Spirit is telling me to give this to support you in missions." My jaw dropped and Heather and I began to tear up.

We held James and talked to him and he decided that instead of giving all of his money once, that he could give $10 per month as a way to support missions. He gave his first $10 that night and wrote on the calendar each month a reminder to pay his support. Today, he saw the calendar and brought his offering to give to the mission of God.

So how does this touching act of obedience from a seven-year-old boy create an "aha moment" for me? There are actually a few reasons. First, we had been spending most of our time sharing the what, where and how of our ministry assignment, but were leaving out the why. That night around the table we began to share our passion and the reasons we were moving to another country to serve God. James had heard the what, the where, and the how for a long time, but that night he heard his mother and father's heart.  Why would we risk so much, why would we leave everything, why go to Colombia? These had been James' questions for some time.  

The second "aha moment" is that I had looked for ministry support partners the same way Israel looked for a king in the Old Testament. They looked at stature, status and strength. Saul met and exceeded their expectations with flying colors, but was a failure as a king. I hate to admit it, but I consider people's ability to partner with us. The key is that man looks at the outside, but the Spirit looks at the heart. In James, the Spirit found a pure heart willing to feel Him speak and willing to obey even though it meant giving one of his favorite things...money! When the Holy Spirit called us to be missionaries we were not people that any agency would have ever considered recruiting. The beauty is when God calls and we respond, he changes us and enables us. When He leads and we follow, the miraculous begins to happen.

Can a seven year old afford $120 per year commitment for missions? I cannot wait to see all the ways God provides for James and through James to make Jesus known in Colombia and to the ends of the earth.

P.S. If you are wondering about our answer to "why missions", watch for our next blog.