Many times missionary work can be discouraging to those entering the mission field or even to veteran missionaries. To those being called to the field, things look discouraging because of the unknown. They may be facing a language, culture, poverty and perhaps paroles unknown to them. It looks more like a ministry of suffering than one of blessing serving the Lord. To the veteran missionaries, the hardships that they have gone through already may seem unbearable to continue on. Why leave the home country of America, rich in wealth, prosperity, and comfort, to suffer in a land stricken be poverty, decease, and unrest?

We could start out by correcting the misunderstandings about being a missionary on a foreign field. As one who lived there, I can say that it is not as bad as many think it to be. Even in rough times I enjoyed the life of a missionary kid. Besides, where can you go in this world to hide from hardships except the grave? As we have life, God not only calls us to spread the gospel but has sent the greatest example of a missionary, a sent one. John 20:21 says "...as my father has sent me (Christ), so send I you."

Christ left the riches of glory where there is no sin, death, poverty, decease, or discomfort, and not only came to a world full of hate, sin, wickedness, illness, outrage and war, but He also left His many of His qualities to take on the form of a man and be susceptible to all the sufferings of this world. Though He hungered, thirst, endured weakness, hardships, suffering, pain, abuse and even the death of the cross, He never backed out of His Father's will. That was a great sacrifice. It was the greatest sacrifice anyone could give and it will be unmatched. It was as if a king had left his throne to live among rats in a pit of slime. That is how much God the Father and God the Son loved us.

So as God the Father as sent His Son, so likewise the Son sends us, but on a less rigorous mission. The sacrifice has already been offered. We are simple called to tell others. And though we are called to go across town and over seas, the sacrifice isn't as great as many may think. We are not leaving a perfect country by any means. Illnesses strike in the USA as in other countries. Some of them are in incurable. There is poverty and unemployment in America just as there is over seas. There have been riots in America, loss of electrical power, and natural disasters just like in other countries around the world. We are simply being called to go from one sin stricken world to another sin stricken world where the gospel needs to be preached to a dying world. They are people, like you and me, who are going to a Christless eternity if someone doesn't go tell them the good news.

God sent His Son to the world. He left all to die for us all. God sent someone to tell you the good news and I'm sure they sacrificed something to do it. So why don't we go next door or over seas to tell them of the Sent One, God's only Son? If you are thinking about the mission field or are discouraged because of the condition you are in, remember what Christ left for you. Take heart and press on.

If you feel it would be an encouragement or a blessing to someone, you have the Stilwell's permission to forward this article in its entirety. They just ask that you include this note at the bottom of the article with their name and e-mail address (Jeff and Kim Stilwell, jkstilwell@juno.com) in case someone wishes to contact them. Thank you.

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