Story
These days people are all about results; we want the fastest bikes, computers, mobile phones and even mission.
People are sucked into what I call “microwave mission”; we want people converted fast and we want to see results.
Many times after we finish with a rally we wonder if anyone’s life has been touched or changed. Sometimes we even get frustrated that we did not have the chance to completely share the Lord with someone or even talk about our faith -that frustration could lead to lack of trust, faith and hope. So how much we do trust God to do the work for us and change people’s lives? Do we know that he is in control? Well, let me share a story with you to show you how God works.
A friend of mine has a Christian bookshop/ café in London; the idea is that people will come to the café, have a drink and read some of the materials about Christianity. Well, the business is doing ok - people do come in and take material, but after seeing no 'results', the owner of the bookshop was really getting frustrated and feeling down. One day he got a phone call that restored his hope.
A lady called him and said, “I just want to tell you that six months ago after being in your shop and taking some of the material to read, my life has changed and now I am training people like me from Muslim backgrounds to be disciples. After leaving your café, I went to McDonald’s to eat, and while I was eating I kept reading the materials I took and suddenly someone looked at me and asked, ‘So what do you think of these materials?’ Apparently this person knew your café and yourself.
"I said that they were good but I am a Muslim woman and can’t change. This man looked at me again and said, ‘Let’s say you were supposed to go to York and so you got on the bus and started travelling. Half way there, you realise that you got on the wrong bus…what would you do?’ I smiled and said, 'Very simple, I would just get off the bus and take another one.’
“He looked at me this time with glee in his eyes and a big smile and said, ‘Well you are on the wrong bus.’
"Hearing that I took my things and left the restaurant, but later on, I had a hard time sleeping because I kept thinking about the bus and wondering if I was on the wrong bus. I got up and started researching and reading the Bible and the Lord opened my heart and I accepted him as my saviour.”
The reason I share this story with you is to encourage you not to give up, as per Mother Teresa’s words when she was challenged about the success of her work in India: “My God did not ask us to be successful but to be faithful.”
So the next time you are in a mission field, remember that God is in control and all you have to do is be faithful to him and serve him in the best way possible. And when you meet people, be sure to smile, offer help, listen to what they say and if possible, share what God has done in your life. And remember that you can’t share something if you do not have it.
Author
Tanas Alqassis
Country: United Kingdom
Region: Middle East
