I vividly remember this day last year, as I prepared for a new semester. I remember being so broken; broken over the many lost souls that I would encounter over the upcoming semester. I remember weeping, realizing the eternal destination of my fellow classmates that would sit in class with me. As I think back, I am disappointed in the way I carried out that burden that the Lord put upon me that night. You see, that “feeling” of brokenness is useless when there is no action to back it up. I may have been in anguish that night, but tragically, that brokenness wore down because of my self-centered schedule. Instead of investing in someone’s life who needed the gospel, I was sitting in a “holy huddle” with my friends, discussing churchy things.
I became complacent thinking that I was doing my job because I was teaching Sunday school, being a small group leader, and investing in my church. Don’t get me wrong, all of these things are my responsibility and I love doing them, BUT I sometimes think we forget the first part of the Great Commission. “Go therefore, making disciples of all nations...” Making disciples is essential, and not always the most comfortable thing to do.
When I look at the scriptures, though, I do not see anything about the Christian life being comfortable, easy, or for selfish gain.
Matthew 8:18-22
Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Most of us want a place to lay our head at night; somewhere safe, somewhere comfortable. Instead, the Lord may be calling you to go to an area that may not be so safe or comfortable, but God will bless you in your endeavors if you are obedient to him.
Matthew 9:12-13
But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Instead of us always being in our “holy huddle” of friends from church, we need to be going to the soul-sick people. The ones who have not been reconciled to the Lord. He came to call the sinners! Let the Lord use you as an instrument in this great work!
Matthew 10:38-39
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Jesus put it plain and simple here. Life is nothing without Christ. We try so hard to find our satisfaction in temporary things, but to live (and sometimes lose our lives) for Jesus is what it is all about! We will know what it means to truly be broken for the lost if we live or die in such a way.
Philippians 2:3 NLT
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
I love the way that this version puts this scripture. This is exactly what I need to hear going into my mission field, school, tomorrow. “Hannah don’t be selfish, and think of others better than yourself!” This will help me to carry out the brokenness that I have for the lost.
I am praying that I would not just be broken in my prayers over people, but that I would make an intentional effort to pour the gospel into empty vessels that are ready to be filled. I pray that my lifestyle will be an example of Christ’s love, humility, and grace. I want people to look at my life and see how the gospel has deeply engraved in me a change that will last through all eternity.
