My Mission Field – What She Said #15 – Week 3, Day 6

TODAY'S TREASURE

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

Transcript

What She Said #15

My Mission Field

Guest Writer, Julie Harbeson

Today’s Treasure

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

When I first became a Christian in college, I kept hearing about “mission trips”. I had joined Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, and they led a spring mission trip to Daytona Beach over spring break. This trip was described as a wonderful time spent walking along the beach and striking up conversations with strangers about Christ. I grew up in the Pocono Mountains, so I consider anything over 80 degrees as too hot. I love watching the ocean, but I hate the sand. In addition, I would describe myself as an introvert. To me, these were NOT the “proper mix” for sharing the gospel on a beach!  

I thought of missions as something someone else did. I did not feel called to go to another country. I did not feel called to strike up conversations. So how did I make peace with Jesus’ directive of “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18)? Short answer? I didn’t. It was someone else’s gift — not mine — and this mindset continued even after I graduated from college.

After I completed my college degree in elementary and special education, I spent six years in the classroom setting before resigning after the birth of my first child. It was around this time that something started to shift in my perspective regarding mission work. I began to see my HOME was a mission field. My CHILDREN were the ones I was to share the gospel with. When I returned to the classroom 16 years later, I had another shift. My CLASSROOM was my mission field. My STUDENTS were my mission field. Working in a public school, I couldn’t teach my students about Christ, but I could be a witness by how I treated them, and I could pray for them. For some students, I thought about how I might be the only Christian that they may know. I couldn’t TELL them about God, but I could pray that they would SEE the light of Jesus shining through me.

As teachers, we have memories of different students. I remember one student as one of the most difficult students that I had in my teaching career. The student had a lot stacked against her, and school was her only constant. This student was hard to love, but I prayed and prayed for her. Some days, I was able to show love, but other days, my sin nature took over.  

One day in particular, I allowed myself to be provoked by this nine-year-old's behaviour. As a result, I responded in anger. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew I was wrong. For a moment, I wondered if she was spoken to like this at home, and I knew she didn’t deserve to be treated like that at school –- even if she was “pushing my buttons”. Later in the day, I approached the student and told her I was wrong for what I had said, and then I asked for forgiveness. The student looked at me with disbelief. I imagined that in her short nine years, she had not experienced many adults apologizing to her for their wrong actions. She looked at me and said, “Of course I forgive you!” and then initiated a huge hug. By God’s grace, what started in frustration ended in reconciliation and modeling the gospel.

My prayer for this student as she moves forward is that she remembers that forgiveness is a beautiful thing, that it’s okay to acknowledge a mistake, and that reconciliation is possible.

As this child and others move on from my classroom, I hang onto the promise that God is “patient toward THEM, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

So what does this mean for you? Who is in YOUR mission field? Is it your family? Your neighbors? Your coworkers? Are you able to share with words? Are you living out the gospel with your actions?

LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT

Who is in your mission field? Identify someone and start by praying for them.

PRAYER

Lord, help me to share Your love with others — both in words and deeds. Amen.