Missions Ramblings
Do something, lest you do nothing.
Anonymous
Life is hard. Every day we face personal struggles, and on the heels of our own challenges come the troubles of the world around us. If you pay even a little attention to global events, you see social injustice, crime, poverty, natural disasters, and famine. Everyone and everything is pulling on us, and it can feel impossible to do anything truly meaningful in such a time of need. I now understand the saying about trying to empty an ocean with a thimble.
Doing what they could to survive
When life presents complicated issues like poverty, our natural tendency is to avoid getting involved. We think, “Aren’t there agencies that can help more than I can? Why did people allow themselves to get into such difficult positions?” On a good day, we might make a small donation to ease the discomfort of seeing humanity in distress. Or we justify our inaction by placing blame on those who should “know better” than to find themselves in such situations.
In working with the poor for many years, I have encountered these mindsets time and again. At first, I had to confront my preconceived ideas. In the mid-1990s, our family was stationed in Burundi. You may remember that the 1990s were marked by civil war and unrest across the Great Lakes region. The wars in Burundi, Rwanda, and the DRC displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. In desperation, people did whatever they could to survive.
We had to do something
Well-known NGOs mobilized and set up makeshift tented camps for the countless masses. In Bujumbura, Burundi, where we lived at the time, these camps sprang up wherever there was an inch of extra space. Schools, government buildings, and empty fields were all fair game for settlement. This was the situation we faced early in our missionary career. We had to do something.
But I didn’t know where to begin or where to end. Our little group of people had nothing. At first, our nothingness told me to do nothing because it seemed impossible to do something of significance. One afternoon at home, I stared at a large pot in my pantry. It usually sat unused most of the time because it was too big to be useful to our family of five. Occasionally, I used it to cook meals for large teams of visitors. Otherwise, it just took up space.
It didn’t take long for me to set that pot on three stones and cook what I could. Soon, a few ladies from the church joined the effort. At first, we fed 20 or 30 children porridge, played games with them, and gave short Bible lessons. We didn’t have enough to feed hundreds, but those 20 or 30 were grateful. Before long, some NGOs heard about what we were doing and joined in. One afternoon in particular sticks out in my mind. I came home to find our garage packed from back to front with supplies to feed the children. At that moment, we realized we could do something.
There are landmines, but still, do something
Helping people in such situations comes with landmines. Landmines of entitlement, greed, and envy lie hidden, waiting to explode when we take steps toward those in need. Inevitably, you will step on one, and when you do, you will get hurt. Under these pressures, it’s tempting to give up. I have been tempted many times to lift my hands in surrender when a landmine explodes beneath me. But when I look past the aftermath, the hungry remain. They continue to live in squalor through no fault of their own. So I brush myself off and try again to do something.
It’s important to remember, before being too quick to judge those in these conditions, that had we been born into their circumstances, we would be the ones in need. Our children would be the ones begging for a meal, not the latest smartphone. We shouldn’t feel guilty for the blessings in our lives. Instead, we can be grateful and do something for those who cannot do anything for themselves.
No responsibility
A well-known preacher of times past, William Carey, faced many of the same attitudes in his day. Carey had an insatiable hunger for world missions. He understood the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16–20) to mean going, preaching the good news, and making disciples. The popular thinking among the “churched” of the time was to let God do the saving. The church’s underlying belief was that believers had no responsibility to bring the news of salvation to the lost.
However, Carey remained unmoved in the face of strong opposition. On one occasion, as he pleaded with believers to help bring the gospel to the lost, he was challenged by a well-known leader named Dr. Harvey. Harvey said, “Young man, if God wants to save the heathen, He’ll do it without your help or mine.”
A role in His plan
The church in the book of Acts understood God’s sovereignty, but they also recognized their role in His plan. God uses His people as a force to bring His word of hope and salvation to a world that desperately needs it. We may not fully understand why God has chosen to use us as His agents on earth, but that is exactly what He has done. Now we must decide how we will respond.
"The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives." 2 Peter 3:9 NCV
May we see humanity through heaven’s lens. We know so little about those we see on street corners begging, or those struggling with addiction, and yet we pass by them daily without thought. And still, God waits for them to change their hearts and lives. When we become impatient, God remains patient and willing to restore. Are we representing Him well? Can we do something?
Do something, lest you do nothing.
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Recommended reading:
Faithful Witness: Life and Mission of William Carey by Timothy George tells the story of William Carey and shows what happens when we choose to do something, even when it feels impossible.
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