Many of us may be walking about with fake I.D.’s. By this, I mean we are not living out life as the person God says we are, but rather who we think we are.
Since God likes to use people in keeping His promise to supply our needs, I put out a sign-up sheet a while ago asking for help with some painting at the outreach center. I was specifically giving the folk who receive goods from God through Water Street Rescue Mission the opportunity to help upgrade the place. We had a few sign up but none actually came on the designated day.
How, when, why, where, and who we serve or don’t serve will always be determined by who we think we are. Working in outreach over the last few months one thing has become clear to me. People who volunteer to serve do so out of a perception of who they are and whose they are. Most of our volunteers would say they know they are people of God and have something to offer. Many come with an understanding that they are missionaries of sorts serving here at the rescue mission.
Those who receive services through outreach also have a perception of who they are. How we interact with one another either confirms or dispels what we believe to be true about ourselves. Many of those served see themselves as the mission field only. Do we confirm that identity or dispel it? While it is true that they are receiving from God according to God’s promise it is unfortunate if that is all they see about themselves.
The same holds true for those considering themselves missionaries exclusively. Do we confirm or dispel that illusion? It is unfortunate if the only role they perceive for themselves is that of the giver. People assuming themselves to be missionaries have to learn how to live by faith before they can truly be effectively used of God. By effective I mean that God’s purpose is fulfilled - that the givers and receivers are all blessed. God’s people must know how to receive graciously in order to be gracious givers.
No individual is merely mission field or missionary. We are all both. It is in learning to be gracious receivers from God that we become capable of being gracious givers. Believe it or not we all play a vital role in shaping the identity of the people we interact with. Let’s be careful that our identities are not misshaped and that we don’t misshape the identities of others. Those who see themselves as mission field only will never volunteer to serve because they assume the role of receivers only. They miss the blessing God promises when we give of ourselves. Those who assume they are only givers have taken on the role of God and that role is already filled.
- Conrad Moore, Outreach Ministries
Since God likes to use people in keeping His promise to supply our needs, I put out a sign-up sheet a while ago asking for help with some painting at the outreach center. I was specifically giving the folk who receive goods from God through Water Street Rescue Mission the opportunity to help upgrade the place. We had a few sign up but none actually came on the designated day.
How, when, why, where, and who we serve or don’t serve will always be determined by who we think we are. Working in outreach over the last few months one thing has become clear to me. People who volunteer to serve do so out of a perception of who they are and whose they are. Most of our volunteers would say they know they are people of God and have something to offer. Many come with an understanding that they are missionaries of sorts serving here at the rescue mission.
Those who receive services through outreach also have a perception of who they are. How we interact with one another either confirms or dispels what we believe to be true about ourselves. Many of those served see themselves as the mission field only. Do we confirm that identity or dispel it? While it is true that they are receiving from God according to God’s promise it is unfortunate if that is all they see about themselves.
The same holds true for those considering themselves missionaries exclusively. Do we confirm or dispel that illusion? It is unfortunate if the only role they perceive for themselves is that of the giver. People assuming themselves to be missionaries have to learn how to live by faith before they can truly be effectively used of God. By effective I mean that God’s purpose is fulfilled - that the givers and receivers are all blessed. God’s people must know how to receive graciously in order to be gracious givers.
No individual is merely mission field or missionary. We are all both. It is in learning to be gracious receivers from God that we become capable of being gracious givers. Believe it or not we all play a vital role in shaping the identity of the people we interact with. Let’s be careful that our identities are not misshaped and that we don’t misshape the identities of others. Those who see themselves as mission field only will never volunteer to serve because they assume the role of receivers only. They miss the blessing God promises when we give of ourselves. Those who assume they are only givers have taken on the role of God and that role is already filled.
- Conrad Moore, Outreach Ministries
2 comments:
Good thought and great reminder. The tension between being a recipient of God's Grace and the vessel God uses for others to receive as well. Reminds me of your description of humility - we really need to see ourselves and others as God sees us all - in all aspects of life.
Hearing and seeing great things - keep pressing on for Him by pressing into Him.
Rick
Amen Conrad. What awesome insight. I struggle with this every day. It is very hard to allow yourself to be served if you see it as a sign of weakness in yourself, which no one wants to admit to being weak. Thank you for the reminder that we are not God. It brought a chuckle and smile from me as I read it.
Your sister in Christ,
Robynn
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