MISSIONARIES
I greatly admire when I see young kids wanting to volunteer to go overseas as missionaries. And I admire their parents too for their willingness to sacrifice their kids for a very worthy cause. Few people receive the gift to help others for free. Volunteering to help people who are in need is a rare gift that we don’t often see. I am reminded of this story in the Bible. “And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading [of it]?" So he answered and said, "`You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and `your neighbor as yourself.'" And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead. "Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. "Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. "So he went to [him] and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. "On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave [them] to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' "So which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." Luke 10:25-37. This Samaritan man not only bandaged the wounds of the injured man, took him to an inn, took care of him, but he also paid the innkeeper for the man's lodging expenses. Jesus said to the lawyer, “Go and do likewise” if he wants to get eternal life. “Go and do likewise” if he wants to EARN eternal life. Brothers and Sisters, eternal life is NOT free. We have to earn eternal life.
People who leave the comfort of living in the U.S.A. and go to third world countries as missionaries, however, must make sure that they have the skills necessary to make money when they return to the U.S.A. from their missionary work. Otherwise, they might end up as homeless people living in a park near your home!
People who leave the comfort of living in the U.S.A. and go to third world countries as missionaries, however, must make sure that they have the skills necessary to make money when they return to the U.S.A. from their missionary work. Otherwise, they might end up as homeless people living in a park near your home!
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