Your community, your mission field "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadduccees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:34-39)
Have you ever found yourself wondering what your purpose is? What does God want you to be doing? For many of us when we ask that question we begin to look around and compare ourselves with great Christians leaders around us and we feel inadequate. We think only the Billy Grahams of this world are truly "called" of God to anything special. We see the contributions of others as far outweighing anything we have to offer and we get side-tracked from what God does have in mind for us. The comparison game will never help us find our place in this world.
In the passage above Jesus sums up our whole duty in two great commandments. Love God with your whole being and then share that love with everyone you come in contact with. When you look at our duty in that light it seems almost too simple. We want a defined checklist of tasks and a job title instead of the constant vigilance it takes to build relationships and truly love even those who are rather unlovable. We want something that will make us feel self-fulfilled instead of learning to be a self-sacrificing servant.
The truth is we need to view the community God has placed us in as a mission field. We need to ask God to show us how to demonstrate His love in our homes, to our children, to our spouses, and to our guests. Then we need to view our jobs and community groups as places to demonstrate godly love and care to everyone we meet. We need to be kind-hearted, forgiving neighbors who are open and friendly. We need to see our schools and towns as vital places to serve and jump in wherever we're needed to help love those who are struggling. We need to be vital parts of our communities so that we truly can be light and salt as Jesus told us. (Matthew 5:13-16) In short we need to love people the way God loved us, even when we didn't deserve it.
So, how does this change your view of your community? Can you see it as a mission field? Can you identify your roles in your community and see how God would like to use you? For many of us, we may never be called to travel to a foreign country to share God's love. We may never be asked to preach the good news to thousands of people at a time. But, we are called to simply love God and then share that love with our community.
So, this week, spend lots of time with the One who loves you so much He sent His one and only Son to die for you and praise Him for that love. Then go and be the only smiling face your cashier has seen all day. Be the listening ear when your neighbor needs to talk. Catch up with an old friend and encourage them. Take a meal to that new mom down the street. Do your best work on whatever task you're assigned, even if it feels mundane. Forgive your sister, even if she doesn't deserve it. Be kind to that co-worker who has been getting under your skin for weeks. Share what God has been doing in your life with whoever will listen. Then know that you are accomplishing God's will for your life - loving God and loving each other.
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