I've been immersed in mission trips the last few days, trying to get details worked out for our spring break medical trip and working with students to apply for summer missions.
And I have had some interesting thoughts floating through my head with regard to all of this and the sacrifice that should be made to be part of such things. Now, I know that there is more to sacrifice than money. That's one of the beauties of our awesome summer missions program in Georgia ... it doesn't cost the individual (other than passports, vaccines), rather, students in BCMs all raise money collectively all year to send OUR summer missionaries out. It's beautiful really how the many can be part of sending out the few(er).
BUT ... I struggle with how we as a culture value those things that "cost" us "nothing." Again, I know time is a cost. In missions we also sacrifice comfort. But, there is something about what we "pay" for something from our own pocket that makes us find it all the more valuable to us. Over the years I've seen students just not show up at the airport for trips ... trips that cost them less than the cost of the ticket ($100, $200) ... or decide to return home before their term is up (for some rather lame reasons) ... or decide they are not "called" there the week before they are supposed to leave ... I know, mind boggling. I wonder if they would have not shown up if they had shelled out $600 for that trip because SOMEONE did. Someone paid the $1000+ cost of that trip for them.
I admire my friend, Gini, for many reasons. One of those is how I've seen her sacrifice to GIVE to missions and ministries. For a year she made handcrafted items and then she donated the proceeds of to different ministries each month. She also gave up Diet Coke (I know, i shudder, just thinking of it) to have money to give ... she's putting her husband through law school on a teacher's salary so she sacrificed an expense she could do without so she had money to invest in ministries in Cambodia and people around the US and world. That's some serious sacrifice, friends.
BUT, not many of us are willing to give out of our poverty. We'll give out of our surplus. We'll give out of disposible income. We'll give what we are COMFORTABLE giving. And many of us would actually really rather someone else give so we can go. I am really struggling with this mentality right now. It's the publican and the widow.
I just talked with a college student yesterday who desires so serve overseas this summer and is faced with raising $4000. I encouraged her to send support letters. I also encouraged her to ask for Africa money in leiu of graduation gifts. I don't think it's either or ... we don't just do what we can do alone ... but we also don't do what we pay no price for.
I LOVE being a part of sending students to do missions. I will gladly give and support ministries and those who are going to serve. But back to my point, if you are willing to shell out several thousand dollars for a family vacation to Disney and the beach ... and to save up for a special anniversary trip or a cruise but then feel a need to send out support letters to fund your mission trip plans ... what are you sacrificing? What are YOU giving up to serve? Are you giving up daily starbucks? Are you willing to take your family on a local vacation to budget to serve on missions? Match what others give? Stop eating out to save money for missions? Take some money out of savings? Somewhere, somehow, we've decided that missions is something other people fund for us. THAT bothers me.
There's an account in 2 Samuel 24 where David is offered oxen to offer to God in a burnt offering to atone for his sin. However, his response is:
"I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God [burnt offerings] that cost me nothing.” (v. 24)
I am NOT saying that we should never send support letters. I am not saying that Georgia Collegiate Missions is wrong to offer students the opportunity to serve in missions without personally paying a price. There is something beautiful about bring the church, enabling people to do what they could never do alone.
What I AM saying is, what sacrifice are YOU willing to make? Are YOU giving sacrificially? Are you offering something to God that costs YOU nothing?
Ok, stepping off the soapbox now.
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