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Matt. 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Matt. 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Editors note:  This is meant to be a contrast with my post earlier this week what My anxiety tells people about God.  While the first post speaks towards of our responses to great needs (God cannot meet them) this one discusses smaller needs (this cannot be important to God).

About a month ago while getting out of the shower one morning I noticed some red marks up and down the inside of my left arm.  I didn’t really bother me at first (just thought it was heat rash) but then the spots showed up on my right arm, and began developing on the back of both hands.  Most of the time it didn’t cause discomfort, but when I sweat the rashes seemed to itch and become inflamed.

God in His wisdom has created me with as a very strong-willed (stubborn) person.  This character trait gives the determination to succeed on the mission field, but it also means that I never..ever ask for help. So of course instead of asking for assistance with the rash or going to the doctor I just decided to “wait it out.”  Even after the rash continued to grow on my legs and upper part of my chest I didn’t do anything about it.

Finally Monday morning while working on sermons I noticed the red spots looking darker than usual and swallowing my pride, went to the local clinic.  It only took about five-minutes for the nurse to tell me it wasn’t an infection, but an allergic reaction to the kind of soap I had been using.  After switching brands and using some Hydrocortisone my rash has healed considerably.   

Much of our needs are like that skin irritation, you know it’s not a serious problem so it is ignored while the more  “pressing needs” of life are dealt with.  So we keep pushing it back over and over till finally it demands to be dealt with.  Even more dangerous than this procrastinating though is the way these needs affect our relationship with God.

Whether consciously or subconsciously we organize our needs into different groups.  Group A is the big needs we need help with, Group B is the one that we can take care of ourselves.  In a way this is healthy since we can deal with most of life’s drama on our own, but it’s also unhealthy because we only ask God for help with the bigger things.

In other words we come to God with our daily needs and say; “okay Father today I will need help with this, and this, and oh this need right here.  But don’t worry I’ve got everything else covered!”

This may seem like humility but in reality it’s an act of rebellion because we (I) tell God what parts of my life need help and what parts don’t.  Even worse we act as if the smaller needs of life don’t matter to God even though Scripture tells us we are His children.

My mother texted me this afternoon and immediately asked why I hadn’t told her and dad about my skin rash.  I told her it wasn’t serious and her exact response was “you share everything!” (exclamation point added).  Her point was as my parents they wanted to know EVERY need in my life even if it was having to change the type of soap I used because I developed a rash.  And in the same way my loving father is offended when I say “oh this isn’t important enough for you to know about I can handle it.”

Does this mean we panic over the small needs of life?  Of course not!  However we can rest in the fact that our father delights when we bring to Him our skin irritations along with the pressing needs of life.

Acts 17:22 ¶ Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

Though I’ve only been a missionary for a short time (seven years) how missions is done has changed a lot since 2007.  One of the biggest changes is an interesting reversal from going from a religious country (America) to a non-religious one (mission field).

Missions in past generations involved going to places where people had no knowledge of God, and never heard the Gospel.  Today in most cases missionaries go to places filled with Churches, and people who can quote the Romans road by heart.

The truly frightening thing is the roles seem to have been reversed; now the formerly religious nation (America) is becoming more and more pagan, while the formerly pagan nations are becoming more and more religious.

Because mission fields are becoming more religious it’s important for all of us (not just missionaries) to know how to approach them Biblically.  Few passages are better for this than Acts 17.

After unbelieving Jews stirred up Churches where Paul had been preaching in Athens (17:12-13) he was immediately taken to Athens to wait in safety for Timothy and Silas (17:14-15).  While waiting in Athens however Paul was burdened over the idolatry (worship of other Gods) he saw (17:16) and began sharing the Gospel (17:17).

It’s interesting to notice how the people of Athens responded.

1. The message of the Gospel created discussion (17:18)
2. So they ASKED PAUL TO EXPLAIN THE GOSPEL (17:19)
3. Confessing they didn’t understand the Gospel and wanted to know more (17:20)
4. And even gathered the whole town to hear Paul preach Christ at the Areopagus (Mars Hill)

All of this leads to Paul in 17:22 saying that they were very “religious” (editors note-I prefer this translation which is held by most Bible versions to the KJV translation of “superstitious” because it fits better in the context).

This Biblical picture of religious unsaved is helpful because it allows us to understand those in mission fields will probably respond to our presentation of the Gospel with respect and genuine interest instead of disgust or violent rejection.  In fact they could respond with a testimony of Salvation like a young lady who told me a few weeks ago she was going to Heaven because she was “God’s child” (even though she didn’t know how to become one).

There is a danger in this because we can easily mistake religion for genuine belief in God….and there is obviously a HUGE difference.

In the case of Acts 17 the people of Athens were only interested in learning about a new religion not really believing in God (17:21).  With the religious mission field emphasis is placed on having knowledge of the Gospel instead of genuine belief.  In other words people have the right Bible answers  and believe that head-knowledge is enough to save them.

Thankfully missionaries rarely encounter mission fields where people respond to the Gospel with hatred and persecution…but we do encounter ones where people respond with just head knowledge which is just as dangerous

 

It’s been a little over a year since the Lord allowed me to start holding Bible clubs for children on a missionary couples front porch, and after outgrowing that began meeting at the Church every afternoon.  The Lord used that ministry to touch many lives, and it was always a joy to hear children excitedly ask if I would be having Bible club that day.

Since the school year started a few months ago however children haven’t been attending Bible club the way they used to.  That by itself doesn’t bother me since I would rather have a few that really wanted to learn, the truly frustrating thing is a lot of the children who used to come faithfully have now become discipline problems. This doesn’t usually involve direct rebellion but an attempt to attract attention and make themselves look cool (run in and then out constantly, try to get me to chase them, shout at children from outside ect.)

Last Monday I stood in the Church and watched as large groups of children walked by (some who used to always attend) and in my heart knew it was time to make a change with Bible Club.

Now I understand that’s a very controversial statement so let me clarify what it doesn’t mean.

1. It DOESN’T mean I am quitting the Bible club ministry
2. It DOESN’T mean I’m going to ignore the children who do attend
3. It DOESN’T mean I don’t believe God can change the hearts of Barrouallies children through Bible club
4. It DOES mean Bible club will no longer be my main evangelistic ministry towards children

One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed since Bible club started again was the amount of energy focused on things that I like to call “crowd control” (reminding of rules, rewarding good behavior, calling down those who aren’t obeying, removing some who refuse to obey) and how that takes away from the work of teaching.

It felt like at least 60% of my attention was on “keeping the kids under control” while 40% was on teaching the Gospel.  And as more time was invested in crowd control instead of teaching my frustration level continued to grow, thankfully it never resulted in violence towards the kids, but admittedly they saw Mr. John get mad on more than one occasion.

Standing in the Church that afternoon watching the children walk by I had an important question to answer:

• Will I continue trying to reach the children primarily through Bible club?
• Or will I look for another ministry opportunity that makes teaching a focus instead administration?

Though it was hard in that moment I decided that Bible club would become a discipleship ministry for those who “truly wanted to learn” instead of an evangelistic outreach to the children who didn’t know Christ.

With the Lord’s help I’ve taken a more relaxed approach to evangelism by sharing a Bible story with children in the community using a flip-chart version of the tract “God’s Bridge to Eternal Life.”  It takes a lot less time than Bible club and doesn’t always run smoothly (children have short attention spans) but allows me to focus on the Gospel instead of keeping everybody under control.

The truth is I miss focusing on Bible club (used to run two each day) and pray God will help it become an outreach again.  But at the same time every ministry must be held with an “open hand” that allows God to change plans, and when doors of effectiveness temporarily close find the ones that He has opened.

A few Sundays ago the Lord allowed me to speak at a Church about “The God who Provides” from Matthew 6:25-34.  The most convicting part of that passage for me was 6:31-32.

Matt. 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Matt. 6:32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (emphasis added)

Jesus explains here to His disciples that when they are overly anxious about the secondary needs of life like food (6:25-26) or luxuries like beautiful clothing (6:28-30) their actions are the same as unsaved people.

Those who don’t know Christ focus on filling own needs by any means necessary because He doesn’t exist (notice how the religious leaders use others to meet their needs in 6:1-8).  Though Believers know God does exist, it’s easy for us to become overwhelmed by anxiety, and live as if He doesn’t.

This idea of anxieties affect on our testimony became very clear (and convicting) to me over the last three weeks.

About a month ago I noticed one of the tires on my car was developing a slow leak, this is a pretty common problem since some roads in Saint Vincent are hard on your tires (filled with potholes).  Because I was speaking at a Church that Sunday I decided to change the tire early that morning and not take any chances, but was confused when the spare tire wouldn’t go on properly. Turns out the holes on the bottom of the tire rim were less than inch too close together so I needed a new rim.

The leaking tire was fixed Monday but no tire-shops in the area had rims to fit my Nissan since most vehicles in SVG are Toyota’s.  I started visiting stores that sold rims but after realizing how much new ones cost decided to keep looking.  After a few days a local mechanic promised that he could find a rim to fit the car.  Over the last two weeks I went there three times to try tire rims but none fit so was starting to wonder if a Nissan rim could be found.  But on Friday I finally got one that fits, and a working spare.

Over the last two or three weeks not having a spare tire was obviously a point of concern so I drove as little as possible, and as carefully as your ninety-year old grandmother.  However that legitimate concern became something I thought about too much.

• Every time I left the house I would painstakingly check each tire of the car to make sure they weren’t leaking
• kick each one to make sure they hadn’t gotten soft
• Make sure to check each one again as I walked back to the house
• And sometimes made trips outside JUST TO CHECK ON THE TIRES!

 

I’m pretty sure the Vincentians didn’t notice how many times a day I checked my tires, but if they did what would it make them think about me as a person?

More importantly what it make them think about God?

My anxiety would send a very clear message to them; “the God of the Universe is able through Christ to deliver me from the penalty of sin, but don’t ask Him to keep a tire from blowing.”

Of course there is a need to have common-sense along with faith….for me to continue driving without a spare tire and think “God will take care of me” is incredibly irresponsible.  So there’s a calling on my part to keep looking for a tire rim that fits-but part of it also believing God will provide one that fits.

The last part of 6:32 “for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things”   was a comfort as I drove the mechanics to see if the latest rim fit (which it did).  Sometimes it seems to me as if the daily drama of life isn’t important enough for God to worry about, after all there are much more important things going on than my tire rim.  But He cares even about the simplest need.

I found myself praying Friday afternoon “Lord you know whether this rim needs to fit because I’m traveling to a Church on the north of the island on Sunday.  But if it doesn’t help me know it was part of your plan for me to drive there without a spare.”

There is no harm in checking the tires when the trouble of life arises.  But when we walk around the car and kick them for the sixth time that day we send the wrong message about God.

 

A little over a year ago a boy who attended Church came by the house for a drink of water.  As I went to get a glass he stepped inside and noticed my iPad sitting on the kitchen table.  “Is that your tablet?” he asked, and within a week I was one of the most popular people in Barrouallie.

I started playing off of the children’s fascination with technology and games by offering “tablet time” to those who were best behaved during Bible club (you would be amazed how well children would behave for two-lives in a game).  Eventually rewards for good behavior began to include koolaid, candy, and stickers but given a choice children would still choose tablet.

While there’s nothing wrong with rewarding positive behavior I need to keep in mind these rewards bring obedience not respect.  And there is a HUGE difference.

Continue reading “Rewards that bring Obedience but not Respect” →