Mission trips are eye-opening for many reasons, but one bonus is there’s usually extra time to reflect. One reason being, if you don’t speak the language there is often more opportunity to just be quiet and observe. I’ve always had wonderful hosts that translate and interpret for me on the mission field, and we have many encouraging conversations in English (both of us practicing our speaking skills).
But one thing I’ve noticed on all trips to a foreign place is, they remind me of our journey through this world as Christians…
We’re just passing through.
Hebrews 11:9-10 says, “By faith, Abraham dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
On all trips to a foreign country, my first goal is to share the good news of our righteousness in Christ with the people there. Inevitably, new friends are made as well. Our heart is to encourage and shower God’s love on as many as possible in our short time together. But one thing remains true, regardless if it’s a short or long trip– it’s not our home. We were simply on a mission.
And that’s how it is for every Christian. This world is not our home.
We are passing through on a mission.
As much as I love to go and travel for ministry, I have a great love for my natural home too. But isn’t that how it should be when we think about Heaven? The thought of never making it to our true home (our final destination) should cause a twinge of pain. We should long for it. “For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come” (Hebrews 13:14). But in the meantime…
Our task is simple.
Tell others of our salvation in Christ and the goodness of God. Tell them how “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). Let people know there is another home, “whose builder and maker is God.” We must speak of His love and the wonderful news that “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).
I love the enthusiasm of the Apostle Paul in the beginning of his letter to the Romans. He said, “Through Him [Jesus] we have received grace… God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in telling the good news about His Son… I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith” (Romans 1:5,9,14-17).
Paul understood we can live here oblivious to our reality or we can make it our aim to speak the truth. Whether we are driving a mile down the road to work or traveling to another city, state, or country, we can be (should be) excited to share our faith and mindful this is not our true home. It may be our current residence but “we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1).
I can honestly say I love my current residence. I love the city I’m called to; the place we’ve raised our family. And when the time is right (a long time from now), I’ll be excited about going to my real home, but as Juba said so well in the movie, Gladiator: “Not yet.”
For now, it’s important to continue and keep the mindset of a foreigner in a world that needs the light we carry — all while keeping our hearts in fond recollection of where we are headed and remembering our task to take as many with us there as we can.
