Notes on having a 'mission' in life

Work. This is something I have done much thinking about over the past 21 months in Africa. I remember back in 2004 when applying to UCCF’s Relay Training program, telling them how inadequate I thought I was for the job (or no doubt something like that) and hearing back “we think you’re too hard on yourself.” At this point my internal monologue was saying something like “if only you knew!”

At university, my favourite week of the year used to be missions week – I loved the energy and the hustle and bustle the week or two demanded. Usefulness. Again, when working at a trade union (that will remain nameless) – it might not have been an organisation that was always well organised – but I knew what it felt like to long periods when I was well in my element. In my first ten months there, I don’t recall have one member of the public maintain a raised voice with me, and I would positively enjoy the challenge of appeasing angry Direct Debit customers and answering the questions of confused soles.

Where am I going with this? Well, now days I work with a Christian NGO. I have a ‘ministry’. Surely this is the summit of wellbeing? Not quite. That nagging voice saying I’m not pulling my weight is present and the words I heard at my UCCF interview that “I’m hard on myself” are there also. We are a massively complex organisation that is present in over 70 countries around the world, with a workforce from about as many countries. We do fantastic work with local populations in some of the most inhospitable places on Earth, with never quite enough financial resources. Every now and then there are hurdles and disappoints, difficult conversations, difficult e-mails, misunderstood cross-cultural phone calls and more besides that can be used to eat away at myself and my colleagues.

So besides the obvious needs for regular prayer and the need for a correct view of myself from Scripture, what new insight do I have to offer on the topic? This:

My ministry here and now, is my life here and now. The ways I mix with those around me – Kenyan and expatriate. The way I look to be generous with my time, and with my finances. If I come home from a difficult day at the office, I am thankful that I can at least see the fruit of God bringing me here in other corners of my life.

As I was thinking this all through, these words from the Bible were the ones I came to. I may already have a ministry, but this is the full scale of my ministry and of the churches’ as a whole:

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Matthew Chapter 25, verses 34-40