There are days when all that gets done is grocery shopping, shuttling kids to school, and dinner. But what needs to change is how I go about doing those things. I need to shift my focus.
One vital question to ask multiple times a day: "Who is with me right now?" Right now my boys are at school, Josh is at work and my house girl is here washing dishes. Yes, we have a house girl (it's one of the perks of living overseas). There are a few ways I could view her presence in our home: someone in my space, a necessary blessing to keep this house running, or a discipleship opportunity. When else in my life will I have a young girl doing life with us on a daily basis? I confess, I am not doing a stellar job at relationship building or disciple-making with Gloria. Pray for me!
At other times my boys are around, and I could shove them to the sidelines so I can check facebook one more time... or I can invest time and energy into those relationships and make those minutes count for eternity.
“You are in the very center of His will as you embrace His little ones to your heart and raise them to be mighty arrows for God’s kingdom. You are at the very heart of the kingdom of God. There is nothing more powerful that you could be doing in the whole of the world. Be encouraged. And may you be filled with the joy of the Lord as you fulfill this mighty task in your home today.” ~ Nancy Campbell in Above Rubies
These eternal souls that are in my custody are such a rich treasure... and some days I squander it.
So, who is with you right now?
And the other question is equally vital: How can I be a catalyst for transformation in their lives? Maybe it's not cursing the driver ahead of me. Maybe it's offering to pray for the cashier at the store, and then praying right there. Maybe it's asking hard questions at that small group you lead, or that Sunday School class you teach. Maybe it's sending a letter to that child you sponsor. I don't know who God is calling you to touch today- but I'm sure He will tell you if you ask Him.
But maybe you feel like there is no one around. Might I suggest that you find a new circle of influence? Step outside your bubble and start making friends. Or ask Jesus to give you eyes to see the person right in front of you who needs Him.
And maybe you feel like the dishes and the laundry are your best friends. Washing the dishes is NOT transformational. Unless, it's you He is wanting to transform. There are always more ways He wants us to become more like Him. Can you clean them for the pure joy of serving Jesus? He would be so blessed.
How do you live out homemade missions? I would love to hear your thoughts!
I love this!!! I think it's so important to be intentional when you are home...whether it's your main mission field or not. It can be especially challenging when your children are young, but that's also the most critical point to get this intentionality going!!
ReplyDeleteBack when mine were all little I would try to be thankful for the loads and loads of launry, looking at it as a blessing to have clothes and choices.
You can do the same thing with any household chore....when we see how other people in the world are living, it makes it a bit easier to see all that we have as magnificent gifts!
Thanks for sharing this homemade mission <3 Love you!!