VERSE OF THE WEEK
“How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” ”
I watched a YouTube video a few weeks ago where the speaker was making the point that it was not wise to send volunteers on mission trips. The reasoning is that if people would send money instead of volunteers, it would be more beneficial for the local economy. This week, our church has a team of volunteers on mission in the Rio Grande Valley. One of the projects for this trip is to build a house for a family of 10 who had been living in a large room in a mobile home with no windows or doors. We could have just collected an offering and asked people to donate the amount that it would have taken for them to be on the mission trip. But a volunteer mission trip, despite this YouTubers belief, is so much more than just giving money toward those in need.
The major emphasis in this passage is that Israel has heard the message and did not respond. However, it is assumed that sending missionaries out into the world is important if the word of God is going to spread. We could send money to the Rio Grande Valley, but who would share the good news? Who would make a personal connection with others? Plus, if you never make the effort to meet the recipients of the mission effort, you will never understand their struggles. It is because we send a team every year to the Rio Grande Area that we develop the empathy to reach out with God’s good news.
There is also the importance of following God’s call in our lives. Too many times, Christians have attempted to hand off the responsibilities of our faith to others. It is easy to pay others to do the actual work of the church. But when Christians within the church come together to share God’s love, it becomes a powerful statement of being the beautiful hands and feet of God. It allows believers to join together for one purpose. I would contend that if more churches sent teams on missions, there would be less church conflict. Are you willing to share God’s love with others as you go. Remember, we are not responsible for making people change. We just need to allow God to use us in His mission!
Read Romans 10