Tomorrow morning, we leave on a mission trip. Twenty-four of us are heading into New York City to offer compassion and support to people living on the streets and those struggling to get by. We are partnering with existing ministries that are invested in their communities, which will allow us to assist those serving on a daily basis. We are not going to be saviors, nor do we want to feel better about ourselves. Our goal is to share the compassion of God, letting people know that God sees them and that we see them. We want people to know that they matter, that their life is valuable, and that they are loved.
Every time I lead a mission trip, people ask, “Why do you need to go away when there are people in your own community that need the same ministry?” It is a fair question. The money we spend to make this short trip could be used to make a difference locally, and there is need where we are. So, why go? Here are my thoughts:
Everyone matters. The lives of people in our community are no more, or less, valuable than people in another location. Each person is of great value to God. Loving those in need is a way of life for those who follow Jesus. A group of 24 people from rural Western New York may be the way someone in a city on the other side of the state experiences the love of God. Jesus said we were to, “ go into all the world,” and “be [his] witnesses to the ends of the earth.” We go to fulfill this call.
We can do both. It is easy to live with an either/or approach to life and a zero-sum mentality. We can fall victim to the false belief that helping somewhere else takes away from helping locally, but that is not the way of Jesus. In God’s economy, there is more than enough for everyone. We can serve people on the streets of New York, and possess all that we need to care for our neighbors because our resource is God’s abundance.
We will be changed. One of the greatest impacts of a short-term mission is what the Holy Spirit can do in us. When we leave our comfort zone and encounter situations that stretch us, we develop a greater dependence upon God. Our eyes are opened more fully to the extent of human need, and serving in the midst of physical poverty can quickly reveal our material excess, and spiritual poverty. Leaving our place of comfort is an invitation for the Holy Spirit to transform us more into the image of Christ.
We will learn. The principles we learn from equipping and practice become tools to better serve our neighbors. We become more sensitive to the needs around us and better prepared to meet those needs. Our compassion is strengthened, we can see Christ in everyone we meet, and be Christ to them.
Of course, we could just go through the motions, give ourselves a pat in the back, and go back to our lives. We are trusting and praying that the Holy Spirit will protect us from such a limited experience, and we are choosing to be intentional about the larger purpose of our mission.
Today, wherever you are, you are on a mission. You are an expression of the compassion and love of Christ. Through you, people see what Jesus looks like. Through you, others will know they are seen and valued. Through you, your community and the world will know the great love of God.
Together, let’s embrace wherever we are as an opportunity to bless others in the name of Jesus. Let’s be intentional servants, grow in our ability to serve God and our neighbors, wherever we are.
