Have you ever met a missionary who didn’t love travel? I haven’t.
God is the designer of passion and will certainly use a passion for travel to create a missionary, but if we’re being real, it is so easy to fall into the “bucket list” mindset while on mission.
When I first heard of the World Race, I admit I had to do some major work on my heart prior to applying. My initial thought was “Wow, I’d be able to travel to THAT many countries?” I had a bucket list mindset that clouded the greater purpose. I knew that in order to be an effective missionary, my perspective needed shifting. I didn’t want to be merely influenced by the Kingdom, but willing to lay down my life for the sake of it. Traveling was no longer about adding a pin to the map, but furthering the Gospel.
Passion in itself is not a bad thing; passion is a great thing when channeled for righteousness. I believe my passion for culture and creation allows me to fully immerse and connect with others in a unique way. However, it all comes down to whether you are serving self or God in pursuit of that passion. Take my word for it, self-serving passion only leads to emptiness. On the flip side, glorifying God with that passion leads to life in full. Ask yourself, do I have a bucket list mindset or a Kingdom mindset?
In Matthew, Jesus condenses all of His teachings into two commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This Scripture understands love as self-giving for the benefit of others as God eternally gives of Himself to us. We cannot truly love from an overflow of His love if He is not the focus of all we are doing.
Do you view people through the lens of their eternal destination? Are you fixating on your next adventure or praying to be used in bringing salvation to God’s people? Would you be willing to drop everything if an opportunity to share the Gospel arose? We are all guilty of being too self-focused. It is an amazing thing to enjoy yourself by delighting in God’s creation, but we must keep the main thing the main thing. In His kindness, the Lord allows us to partake in building the Kingdom; let’s not miss it.
