Our fear (respect & love) of God must far outweigh our fear of man.
At the airport, we realized three other mission teams from across the United States were also on our flight to Honduras. I looked at a member of another team and said, “Jesus sure loves Honduras.”
Every summer I travel with a missions group to minister in a foreign country sharing the Gospel at churches, schools, streets, and in open-air crusades. It’s a highlight of my year and always (and I mean always) puts things in perspective for me. Whether I’m reminded that we are very blessed in the US, or how God’s Spirit supersedes all language barriers, I come home thankful.
But my motivation to go out (here or abroad) and share my faith is motivated by this one truth:
My fear of rejection must never override my desire to please God and help others find and know Him.
In my travels, I have discovered that most churches and Christians only have a spirit of hope– but what they need is a SPIRIT OF FAITH. The difference is huge! Hope is good but it is always unsure of a final outcome of victory. Whereas, a spirit of faith sees the victory BEFORE the final outcome. “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ…” (2 Corinthians 2:14). These are the words of the Apostle Paul who always operated in faith. He knew (as we should) that God can be thanked BEFORE the victory ever manifests itself in the natural because IN CHRIST we are already triumphant– no matter what it looks like.
This is the message I carried with me to Honduras this year. And at every opportunity, I reminded people they are the righteousness of God in Christ and how truly amazing this gift is to believers. In sharing, I was reminded again how truly great God’s love is for us. On every continent, and in every language, God is saying the same thing. “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him, who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). This is at the core of everything God did for us and wants people to know.
I’m home now but thankfully aware that our mission hasn’t changed and I must never be shy to speak of it. I hope you are even slightly encouraged, inspired, and reminded that YOU TOO have great influence today. Tell someone what He’s done for you. Lead them to Truth. Show God’s love and let His love override all your fears!
