Commitment to the Lord's Mission

George, Ottis, and Helen Pearl Scott gave up their lives in the US to reach the people of southern Africa.

By John and Beth Reese

Important for personal and family health is a strong sense of a purpose higher than ourselves. Children especially need to learn that they are not the center of the universe; it is not all about them. It is about the greater Person and greater Cause.

A. Mission with Momentum - (Matthew 16:24; Galatians 2:20).

The Christian life is neither self-centered nor static. Like staying on a bicycle, a fall is avoided by forward movement and balance. The mission supplies the momentum. Attention to “every word” supplies the balance.

*Practical Suggestions:*

Whether self-supported or church supported, know your mission and use your gifts and help children to discover and use their gifts.
Commitment is not only commanded by the Lord, but it is a natural way to train the children. The parents can aid this sense of commitment by letting the child participate in age-appropriate activities with the local body of believers.

B. Mission to Serve- (Matthew 20:26-28; 1 Peter 4:10).

*Practical Suggestions:*

Serve others together. Find activities that the family can do together.
Be a servant family. Take your children with you when you help or visit others.
Teach your children from a young age that what “I” want is not always the most important.
Encourage your older child to seek out those who need help. They can bake, sew, mow, build, or anything else that is needed to learn to serve.
Be a model of Christianity for those around you. Model making wise decisions and dependence on the Lord.
Hospitality is meaningful service that often involves the children of the home.

C. Mission to the Poor-(Luke 12:33-35; Galatians 2:10).

*Practical Suggestions:*

Remember that the best gift we can give is a piece of ourselves.
Serve meals together in a homeless shelter, work at an orphanage, etc.
Carry specially chosen food in the car for giving to people in need.
Regularly work with family members to donate some of your clothes, things to the poor.
The most uplifting gift of all is the Good News (Luke 4:18).

D. Mission to the Lost- (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15).

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:33-35).

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15).

*Practical Suggestions:*

Remember that all Christians are missionaries.
Speak positively about the blessings of mission work and evangelism.
Take your children with you to teach others or go on campaigns. Involve them from a young age.
Take them on short mission trips.
Take them to other countries.
Make missions an adventure.

E. Mission with Sacrifices- (Matthew 16:24; Luke 14:26-27; Philippians 3:8).

*Practical Suggestions:*

People are watching you as a Christian couple, especially those who are not in the church. (If you are in leadership, more people will be watching you.) Learn not to let the fact that your life is on view be a frustration. Develop maturity in your Christian life that allows people to see the real you.
Keep the value of possessions in perspective. Speak of and use your house, car, etc. as belonging to the Lord.
Recognize and empathize with losses suffered by your family for your faith, but also bring the perspective of joy to those sufferings (Matthew 5:10-12; Romans 5:3; 1 Peter 1:6).

F. Mission with Rewards - (Mark 10:29-30).

*Practical Suggestions:*

Jesus rewards our sacrifices. Wise parents will do the same when their children must sacrifice with them.

Look around and realize the blessings of having brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children in many countries of the world. Be open to receiving these blessings and letting your family benefit.

G. Mission with a Destination - (Philippians 3:10-14).

When illness or death threatens, let your attitude be a testimony to your faith.

*Practical Suggestions:*

As Christians, we are not like the world. We can have confidence in the final reward.
Daily devotions and time in reading the Word will help us to not get distracted by the world.
Remind each other where the family can be together forever.

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:10-14).

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