"So You're Called to Missions?" The Heart of a Servant

 A Christian Missionary:  A Disciple sent into an area to perform ministries of service or MEET A NEED.

To advocate or promote the Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ by meeting the practical needs of a different culture or people group, then your own.

For me, this photo - based on the story of the woman (who was a sinner) in Luke chapter 7, is a perfect picture of what it is to have the heart of a servant. A heart that is completely sold-out to Him in reverential awe and thanksgiving, worship, surrender and service. Total abandon of the old (sinful bondage) to the new (forgiven and free to serve).

LUKE 7: ³⁷ And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸ and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

Genevieve's Version: In essence I can hear her saying,

"Because of You, and Your intense love for me, I will never be the same again. Here I am, at Your service. You have done so much for me, if I worshipped You for the rest of my life, it could never be enough. What can I do for You? If it's important to You, it's important to me. If it grieves You, it grieves me. You are my God and I am Yours. I surrender all".

 Jesus said to the Pharisees and religious people in the room:

⁴⁴ “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. ⁴⁷ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

When you KNOW you have been forgiven of MUCH, you love (Jesus) MUCH! When you love Jesus MUCH, you begin to take on His characteristics and attributes.

...and we know Jesus was a SERVANT. and not just a servant, but also Highly exalted.

When we humble ourselves through His example, we live in a realm of resurrection power that cannot be found any other way.

Simply put, a Missionary is a SERVANT. A guest in a foreign land, whose focus is to Advance the Kingdom. One of the fastest and most effective ways to do that, is by doing it His way.

PHILIPPIANS 2:5 says:

⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

1 Peter 5:6 Instructs us to "Humble (bring down one’s pride and opinion of ones self) ourselves under the mighty hand of God (the same hand that created the universe) that He may exalt you (lift up high, raise to dignity and honor) in due time (the right time, opportune season).

Jesus came in a manger, in meekness and humility and as a result He received unparalleled power, anointing and authority in the Spirit. There is power in HUMILITY.

Nowhere in scripture does it say that freedom means to be free to live for SELF!

Being a servant means to live for someone else, other than yourself.

When preparing for the Mission Field, my advice is: "Get yourself off your mind!"

There is a bigger picture at hand. Refocus yourself on the Vision that God has for the ministry you are involved in.

It's not about me or you, it's about making His Name great.

After all we are His Representatives...the called out ones'. We are the one He is depending on to carry out His hearts' desires in the earth.

No pressure! (sarcasm)

I Corinthians 9:19 Paul says: "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself a servant (giving of self wholly to ones' needs and service) unto all, that I might gain the more (winning a hurting people, a dying generation over to the Kingdom of God)".

Preparation of the Heart

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,

as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23

     Ø  Lift up Jesus Christ with your thoughts, words, and actions

Ø  Develop and maintain a servant’s attitude.

Ø  Pray for and support your leadership and their decisions.

Ø  Attitude check! Be positive and encouraging.

Ø  Remember what you learned as a child, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Ø  MUY IMPORTANTE! Be a team player, not a gossiper.

Ø  Remember the missionary job is to learn and serve, not to lecture and direct.

Ø  Be open to different perspectives and ways of doing things.

Ø  Remember you are a guest in a different culture. Enjoy it and learn.

 

MAKING IT PRACTICAL!

(for sure common sense, but it's amazing how easy it is to forget in the midst of PRESSURE)

1.      Ability to Follow Instruction: and take direction in accordance with policy, regulation or case by case situation.

2.      Patience: and ability to work in very high stress and intense environment.

3.      Stress Management: The ability to keep functioning effectively when under pressure and maintain self-control in the face of hostility or provocation.

4.    Flexibility:  and willingness to adapt to constant change. Openness to different and new ways of doing things; willingness to modify one’s preferred way of doing things.

5.      Focused: individual must be devoted to the work at hand. (Again it is a Calling and not employment)

6.    Spiritual Fortitude: every missionary should have the mentality that Christ - His Word and His ways of doing things are at the center and core of who they are, who they strive to become and who they strive to please.

Much Love and Many Blessings to All!