Photo by Will Kell
Missionary call?
Who are you to pressure my son?
You don’t know if God wills him to come!
He is vulnerable, eager to please, naïve!
If you say it is so, he will blindly believe.
What does he know of counting the cost?
To an idealist, the meaning is lost.
Jesus says to give up our lives for His sake.
When I gave him to you, was it a mistake?
I’m cynical, tired, burned, and too wise,
to give platitudes and ignore my heart cries.
Annoyed, fearful, hesitant, protective.
I admit, I’m feeling overly reactive.
What kind of disciple of Christ am I?
(I don’t want my young son to die.)
So, I’ll bristle and argue, against this vision,
to sign him up for the Great Commission.
I just want him to hear the Spirit’s voice.
Then, make his own independent choice.
Or, maybe I just want him to delay,
or go someplace safer, not so far away.
Maybe I’m tired of manipulative men,
who seek to control, again and again.
It’s not about missions I am upset.
It’s that I’m not ready to let go, yet.
I must stop looking with mere human eyes.
The Lord is loving, all good, and wise.
Stronger than words from persuasive men.
By prayer, the Lord’s plan will transcend
and lead the one I can’t keep as my own—
to His Father’s will, now that he’s full grown.
© 2017 gratefulsue
June 12, 2024
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Once, when I attended the college church of my youngest son, they happened to have a visiting missionary that Sunday morning. The man gave a short talk attempting to “recruit” (sounded to me more like “guilt trip”) some of the college students in attendance to accompany him for a ministry project in a “closed” country, a dangerous part of the world for Christians. I was angry! Knowing this son of mine was always up for an adventure, I was going to need much tact and self-control in talking through the questions I knew I would be fielding later in the day.
My son knew I wasn’t thrilled with the invitation presented, and we did have a good discussion about it later. I wrote this poem in my hotel room that night, in order to process some of my pent-up annoyances. Ultimately, my son did not apply for that mission team. I breathed a prayer of relief and thanks to God.
Missions in dangerous places are not inherently wrong. Everyone needs Jesus! But there is a right time, place, calling, and provision for the job. All aspects need to line up. A few years later, my son had another opportunity to be a short-term missionary. This time, he went with my blessing! The team members were miraculously led to people who were open to their message about Jesus, and were kept safe despite some challenges. The Lord was with them, even when his cell phone was lost and later found and returned to him, in a small town, in the Himalayas of India.