When my older son was six weeks old he went with us to a small city in western Uganda where we held a series of evangelistic meetings that were a part of our ministerial training for young pastors. We put up a small tent that seated about 200 and hoped it would fill. The first evening over 600 people arrived all wanting to see baby Jesus. We were forced to hold him up and explain this was our baby and not baby Jesus who was born 2000 years ago. One lady on the front row wanted to hold him. Naively I handed him to her. What followed was unbelievable. Another lady wanted him and then another and soon he disappeared into the middle of the 600. Obviously we were eventually able to safely retrieve him.
I have often thought of this through the years realizing what occurred is our calling. It is the great Gospel Commission found at the close of Matthew. By actions and demeanor we are called to bring baby Jesus, man Jesus, crucified Jesus and resurrected Jesus to those about us. We might not be preachers on a church payroll. This happens when we are a part of a community, by being kind and unselfish and knowing when to not say hurtful things. The most effectual witnessing is being as much like Jesus as we can be. This is our calling. We don’t have to go to a far off land. Real mission starts inside our homes and spreads outward from that center. If we are open to His indwelling power, He will do what is needed. Sometimes we are amazed at what happens. Sometimes we don’t know anything happened. But it did.
Written by Roger Bothwell on November 7, 2013
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org