The more I travel around the world, the more I have the opportunity to meet truly amazing men and women of God. I am regularly stunned at the high level of commitment to Jesus Christ which I witness first-hand in the lives of our Christian brothers and sisters in other countries. Some have virtually no regard for the quality of life they experience here on earth. Men and women who are well-educated, healthy, and raising a family often turn down great secular vocational opportunities in order to pursue their God-given vision. Somehow, they have adopted an outlook on life that minimizes their earthly existence, and maximizes their future in eternity. In order to reach the unreached of their nation, they endure a lack of food, and sometimes water. They deal with limited access to quality medical care. They live in “homes” that would barely qualify as adequate shelter for animals here in the West. Beyond all of these degraded physical amenities, some deal with literal persecution on top of everything else.
However, I believe I have discovered their secret. It is found in Mark 8:34-38 (NKJV):
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Those who have given up everything for the sake of the Gospel realize that keeping their eyes on Heaven makes what they live through here on earth, a small sacrifice in comparison. It seems that we, here in the West, have become easily distracted. Our lives our consumed with just living, and not exactly living for Christ. We understand that the kingdom of Heaven is real, but how does that fit into our real, daily lives? We read verses like these in Mark 8, and translate it for our culture. Throwing an extra twenty-dollar bill in the offering, or joining a life group, or helping on the annual church Thanksgiving outreach – these are all ways to lose our life for His sake, right? Well, it depends who you ask.
This is not a reprimand, or an attempt to stereotype Western Christians – for I have also met people on this side of the world who have given up everything to reach the unreached. Rather, let this be a challenge. Pray and ask God what you must do to truly go after Him, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. Global Infusion is dedicated to reaching the unreached. Your support helps us help others keep their eyes on Heaven.
