Have you ever seen an old military vet show off his piece of shrapnel? (I haven’t, but I’ve seen it on TV!) He tells the story of how he got it and lets you see the scar. You get a glimpse into what he learned while he was in the trenches. Well, as I’ve been in the trenches of ministry, I’ve begun to get a few battle wounds and boy have I learned a lot in the process. I want to share a few of these things that God has been teaching me with the two people who read this.
Not only am I commissioned by God to share Christ with others and live among them and serve them, but I need to learn from these people, too. I’ve always known this, but this past Sunday I was reminded of this. After leading a discussion group of girls and spending a little money to provide lunch, I went with one of my girls to the store. She wanted to buy a can of Arizona for one of the other youth group leaders, and she bought one for me, too. Mind you, this is a girl who has no job and only had about six dollars to her name. I gladly accepted it, because I remembered that ministry is a 2-way street. I shouldn’t just give, but allow others to give. Paul welcomed support from churches, because he wanted them to be blessed by it. This goes way beyond a simple can of tea. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re all that and that the people you are sharing Jesus with have nothing to offer.
Meditations of a Michigan Missionary 