I’ve found my home.
It’s not the United States. It’s not Thailand. It’s not Belize. It’s not the Dominican Republic.
Home is where the noise is silenced, where the clutter is cleaned out, where the fast-paced life is slowed. Home is where you’re shaken into wakefulness from the deep sleep that is your conditioning. You look around and seek your comforts, but they’re not there. Rather than being saddened, you’re relieved. Rather than seeking to drown out the chaos that is American living by escaping reality, you desire to delve into it headfirst. You willingly abandon all that you’re used to. Reality becomes euphoric as the smoke screens begin to fall. You discover that most of what you learn is an experience you already have, awakened by a new perception. A perception halted by comfort. You begin to view creation through the Creator’s eyes, recognizing His breath in everything and everyone, desiring a deeper connection to it all. The value of life increases as your distractions decrease. Your sole purpose to living becomes abundantly clear: love God and love others. Home is an others-focused, holistically driven life. The forgetting of the outside world and the zoning in on the person in front of you. Genuine face-to-face relationship building through a language that is not bound by words. There’s no agenda restricting you. You’re relaxed and unhurried. Home is immersing yourself into a culture where a 1 Corinthians 3 type of love comes to life. The collision of solitude and solidarity. An inner freedom uniting you with God’s creation and His people. A family without borders.
I can’t help but to watch the clock tick as my time here runs out; growing a sense of urgency at the realization that there is no time to waste. I came to serve, but I was served. I came to teach, but I learned. I came to give, but I gained. You find that the precious time we have is best spent being present in His fullness. You desire nothing else. Going through the motions of a mundane self-focused routine is no longer an option. You’re inspired to let go of the comforts that hold you in captivity. You’ve found the secret to life. This secret is revealed in the stillness; a stillness that allows God’s voice to be heard. It’s experienced when you release your reservations and surrender; a dependence on Him and Him alone. There’s no turning back. By no means will it be a perfect life, by no means will it be easy, but it’s worth it. He sustains you. To think that this is a mere glimpse of what is to come. During His time on earth, Jesus served as our perfect example. He showed us the Way. He revealed the answer to the world’s greatest mystery. So what are we waiting for? Remove the blinders that are your comforts and distractions. See God for Who He is. Know Him and make Him known. Receive His free love and give it freely. Leave it all behind for the sake of the Kingdom. For the one who loses, gains (Matthew 19:16-30).
Home is not where I grew up, home is the very core of God’s heart, and the mission field feels a lot like that.
