Do I really care?

Missions – romantic, idyllic, adventurous, exciting, etc, etc.  Why did you become one?

Could it have started out with a romantic idea of trekking across the African plains, animals to boot that lured you into this calling?  Maybe after a slide show at church?

Could it have been that you thought you would “see the world” on a missionary ticket? 

Could it be that adventure and missions were synonyms to you?

Or did you start out by caring about Jesus’ last command, caring about People being lost forever?   Do you still care like that? 

I know God uses many ways to help us step out of our comfort zones into the place He wants us to be.  And they are all good, but deep down if you do not care for the people you will get nowhere.   What will drive you?  What does drive you? 

“Do you really care?” asked a mentor to Floyd McClung over and over – even to be the point of serious irritation.  But when Floyd saw the mentor’s care and love for the people, the burden God placed on his mentor’s heart, he was a changed man himself.  Do you care?  Do you really care?

Many are displaced in this time because of severe flooding, but do I really care?  Or do I just focus on what I need and how to make SURE that all MY needs are met? (Heaven forbid that I should run out of ____!)  Do I care to the point that I am willing to help with my own two hands with and my own little funds?  (Just remember what Jesus did with 5 small fish and two loaves of bread!!) 

Do I care?

Do I care that the lady with 5 kids and no husband’s house fell in?  Do I care if she ever hears of Jesus’ salvation and grace?  Do 100 000 displaced people really touch my heart?  Or do I worry about my own little world and have NO SPACE left in my busy head for the needs of others?  Do I care as Jesus cared?

You can very easily live here without so much as lift a finger to help anyone…accountability is much of the time quite low I mean, if you take God out of the accountability equation.  You can fill your days with surviving, living just to get by, living for yourself....You can carve out a nice space for your own little family and happily live only for them and their needs and not even see or talk to a national for weeks!  (Except maybe the cleaning lady/guy?)

Maybe I am just re-evaluating my own life, which happens in the 40’s I am told! and scared that I have become hard and callous to the colossal needs around me.  Or afraid that if I start caring I might overdo it and burn out.  Or am I just lazy and like my “new” comfort zone?  Whatever the reason I want to ask myself daily – Do you care, Bella?  Do you?  Do you care for others or just yourself? 

Deep down, to care.  That is what I want.  To follow Jesus and learn how He cared and still cares.  To love and care  passionately not only for myself and my own but for all those He sends across my path.  To take Jesus as my standard!

Bella, wanting to passionately care!