World Impact

I am still reading David Platt's Radical, and have been quite convicted and challenged, to say the least. The last couple of chapters have talked specifically about making an impact, on the world.

Platt focuses on two key points, based on Jesus' final command to His followers:
"Go, and make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19)

He criticizes our all-too-common way of thinking that certain people are called to go, to be missionaries, overseas. We limit ourselves and put missions in a box when we do this, though. Jesus didn't tell just a few of the disciples to go; he gave the same order to all of them. He didn't take his main three boys Peter, James, and John off to the side and have a secret little meeting. He didn't make special accomodations for any of His followers. They, WE, are all called to do the exact same thing, "Go, and make disciples of all nations."

But, if we all go, who is going to stay and tell the people right here in the United States about Jesus? Don't Americans need the gospel too? Yes! Aren't there plenty of ministry opportunities all around us? Yes, of course. So, why do we need to go anywhere, if that is the case?

Well, I guess if Christians everywhere are given this same command and actually following through on it, then believers from China and France and Brazil and Tanzania will go to the United States, and those of us here in the United States will go to Indonesia and Mongolia and Syria and Chile and, well you get the idea.

That takes care of part of the problem, if you want to call it that. The second issue Platt raises is that going doesn't always mean leaving the United States, at least not forever. He suggests that going means being aware of opportunities that are right here, in your own neighborhood and community, and getting involved. This requires intentionality. This most likely results in making sacrifices, of various kinds. This might make you uncomfortable. However, this will also bring you great joy and satisfaction, in knowing that you are living in obedience to God and bringing glory to His name.

So, what does going while staying look like? David Platt gives a few examples of people who are doing just that.
*Jim and Cathy are intentional about witnessing at their business, evidently. 16 of their employees were saved last year. Jim and Cathy also do some "foreign" missions in Tanzania, teaching men to run their own small business and women to develop trades they can use in their homes.
*Jeff is an extremely successful businessman, but gave up the American Dream and began a ministry that works with local churches around the world to provide clean water in those communities where many people are dying due to preventable waterborne diseases.
*Ed and Patty are retired, but they spend the majority of their time doing diaster relief in cities and towns here in the United States that have experienced flooding.
*Daniel just graduated from college and had the chance to get his master's and doctorates in engineering, for free. He turned down the offer, however, in order to work with an engineering program designed to help impoverished communities around the world.

Great. I don't work outside of the home or have a huge, successful business such that I can fund diaster relief efforts around the world. I'm certainly not retired, and often my time and resources are limited due to having small children in tow. And I'm not a genius either. So, guess I can't be like Jim and Cathy, or Jeff, or Ed and Patty, or Daniel. Or can I?

What can I do, as a married woman and mother of two small children? Yes, I am a stay-at-home mom with a limited income, but I can still go and make disciples. I can still make an impact, on the world. How?

For starters, Lawrence and I have been licensed as foster parents. We felt like God was calling us to be available to love on these precious kids who may not otherwise experience the security of living in a safe place with people who accept them and cherish them. We couldn't ignore the burden He had placed on our heart for children we don't even know, but realize need the love of Jesus more than anything else. And so, while we may not have the biggest home or a lot of money, we definitely have love to give, the best love of all -- God's love.

Thus, we are technically foster parents, but we don't have any foster kiddos in our home right now. And the idea of taking in another child, or children, scares me to death, or at least makes me want to pee my pants. Especially after we had a negative, and somewhat scary, experience the first time we did take a child into our home. So, I am nervous to open our door, and hearts, again. It's risky. But, it is what God has called us to do. It is how He has asked us to show His love, to make His glory known. Instead of worrying about a possible future placement and all that could go wrong, I should be praying for God to bring the right children to our home, at the right time, and that we can love them with a Christ-like love. I should be asking God to provide just this opportunity so that we can show these boys and girls who Jesus truly is and what a relationship with Him looks like day in and day out, how they can enjoy the security of knowing Him and being His child.

As I write this, all tense and fearful about the phone ringing and getting that call, our friends are considering adopting not one, not two, but FOUR kids through the foster-to-adopt program. Brian and Maggie already have two girls of their own. Sylvia, their oldest, shares a birthday with Coralyn. Naomi, their youngest, will be one year old in a month. So, it's not like they are at a totally different place in life than we are. Their house isn't any bigger than ours. And here they are ready and willing to add four kids to their family, all at once. To prepare for this massive explosion, Brian and Maggie just bought an 8 passenger van. If everything goes through, Brian and Maggie will have kids who are 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 11! Talk about living radically for Jesus!

Yeah, I think David Platt could use Brian and Maggie as examples of those who are staying here in the United States yet going and making disciples. They are living out Jesus' final command. They are making an impact, on the world. One, well actually four children at a time. (Six, if you count their biological daughters!)

They are following the example Jesus gave us when it came to making disciples, and thus impacting the world. Platt points out how all too often we try to establish programs and have conventions or create foundations -- all BIG things -- when we go about "making disciples." Jesus did the exact opposite, though, and focused most of His time and energy pouring into twelve select men. He trained them, taught them, and equipped them to carry out His plans and purposes once He returned to heaven. And His last command to them was for them to go and make disciples. As they did this, they were to teach these disciples everything Jesus had taught them. These new disciples in turn would then go and make more disciples, teaching them what they had learned. It's a ripple effect, but very powerful and effective.

And so, I have been challenged to live out my faith radically, to go and make disciples of all nations. I always pictured myself as a missionary overseas, or if I did stay in the United States, I saw myself in the inner city somewhere. I certainly never imagined living in the suburbs! But, for now, that is where I am. Both Lawrence and I are ready and willing to go, to actually leave the United States and live in a completely different country, and serve God wherever He wants. However, He hasn't presently opened any doors for that to happen, at least not that we know of. That doesn't mean we still can't go and make disciples of all nations, to impact the world, right here, right now.

I'm back where I was before I went off on my foster parenting tagent. Sorry, about that rabbit trail, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

What are some tangible, pratical, and radical ways that I can go and make disciples? How do I go about impacting the world from where I live in comfortable suburbia?

God has been tugging at my heart, challenging me to push myself, to get out of my comfort zone. I could easily make it sound like I am already fulfilling Jesus' last command. I love to bake, and for most holidays I have Coralyn help me make cookies or bread and take treat bags to the neighbors. In fact, she now assumes that if we are going to bake, the goodies are not for us, but our neighbors. She especially likes visiting June, an elderly lady who lives across the street with her little dog Sweetie. We don't just give our neighbors food though, we usually have a little note attached to the goody bag. We write out a Bible verse and have a friendly message related to the holiday at hand. But, seriously, how hard is that? Would you consider that radical? I don't. Really, we can do so much more. In fact, I feel like God is challenging me to do just that. And that scares me.

What specifically does He want me to do? Go sit on June's porch and actually talk with her. Bring a ball with us and Coralyn can play catch with her, as I see June do with another little girl in the neighborhood. That terrifies me? Yep! So, does the idea of inviting Frank and Amy over for supper. It's much easier to wave from the driveway or talk over the fence or even offer to pray for them as Frank battles cancer. But, that's a pathetic, half-hearted attempt at going and making disciples, if you could even begin to call it that. They're not Christians, at least not that I know of, and they have done better than us at being good neighbors. Just recently, they knocked on our door, carrying a huge gift bag. They wanted to make sure Coralyn didn't feel left out as a new big sister, so they got her a book and a stuffed caterpillar that is bigger than she is. She now sleeps with the caterpillar every day, not to mention lugging it around the house wherever she goes. And the book, I think I have it memorized now. If they can do that, then surely we can grill some hamburgers and ask them to join us for a BBQ in the backyard.

So far, I have described sitting on an elderly lady's porch and inviting our next-door neighbors over for supper as radical. Seriously?! While I am being ridiculous, I will mention the other way that God has challenged me to step it up. Our church has a monthly community outreach. One of the options for people to do is go to Cedars of Liberty, an assisted living residence/nursing home, and help with a chapel service. They call it "The Old Time Gospel Hour," which is pretty ironic if you know anything about our church. We wouldn't be in charge of preaching the sermon or leading the worship songs. We would just be part of the congregation, so to speak, and then visit with the residents after the service. Pretty far out there, huh? Um, not exactly.

I remember my mom taking me to visit "the little old ladies" when I was growing up. One of the women, Miss EmmaLee, even taught me how to crochet. I want my girls to grow up feeling comfortable around "old people." I don't want them to squirm and watch the second hand on the clock when they enter a nursing home, like I often do (sadly). I want to teach them, by modeling to them, how to love others, including those who might not remember that you stopped by every week to say hi and drop off a plate of cookies or muffins.

Speaking of teaching by example, David Platt explains that is precisely what Jesus did, and thus what we should do today. Since my primary students are my own two daughters, God has helped me see the great importance of raising our girls to know and love Jesus, with all that they are. They need to see me reading my Bible, hear me memorizing Scripture, watch me praying. They need to know it's okay to sing praise songs even if you can't sing on key. And if they don't learn that from me, they certainly will from my dad :) I did. I vividly remember seeing him on his knees in the mornings, praying fervently. And most days I would also hear him singing his heart, and lungs, out, not caring that he was usually terribly out of tune. He was making a joyful noise to the Lord, and I am confident God was pleased with my dad's act of worship.

Coralyn and Kellah also need to grow up living out the Great Comission. I want them to have a passion for missions, a heart for those around the world and right here in our community. I pray for them to stand up for God in their schools, even when that is hard and they lose friends as a result. I pray they will be sensitive to the needs of those around them, whether that be the need for a hug or a hot meal or simple hello. I pray they will long for people to know Jesus and be head over heels in love with Him, like they are, and that they will do whatever they can to draw people into this close, personal relationship with Him.

So, basically, God is "calling" me to be a good neighbor and an excellent mom. I should be able to do that. So why am I so scared? Why am I hesitating? I don't know! But I am.

But I can't. Not if I truly want to make an impact, on the world...by starting right here in the United States, in my neigborhood, in my very own home.