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Print I think of what it means to be a true disciple. The concept of being a follower of Christ and ministering to the nations is a mandate that should be taken seriously. I am afraid that I have often fallen short of what is required. Will I have to live thousands of miles away? Will I be persecuted for the gospel? What about my family? After the influx of selfish thoughts, I realize a simple fact—He just wants me to go. I must be willing to take advantage of every opportunity He places in my path.
So God Sent Me… This seemed a bit out of my comfort zone, but I felt compelled to attend because of the speaker scheduled. Taysir Abu Saada was a former Muslim who served as a terrorist under Yasir Arafat. He was trained in sniper warfare and thus trained young children to kill Jews. With a student visa, he came to America, still being a terrorist. A coworker began to share the message of Christ and His need to love the very people he hates. He immediately repented and “spoke in a language he never heard before.” Conviction flooded my heart as I watched a man, once so hardened by hatred, speak with such a gentleness of spirit.
…to Graduate School I think of Diana, a Vietnamese girl who I also met in graduate school. We were immediately drawn to one another because we each have a rather odd sense of humor. These times of laughter made the pressure of brutal classes bearable. Gradually, references to God and prayer became frequent in our conversation. I think of Pedro from Mexico and David from Scandinavia. Both were living “alternative lifestyles” and my heart broke, for they were both living in deception. I invited them to church and would pray that the seed I planted would one day bring them to the truth. Daljinder was of the Sikh religion from India. She invited me to eat Indian food in the museum one day after art appreciation class. I felt as if I were in another world. Though out of my comfort zone, I felt it imperative that I build a relationship with her. For my world religions class, I decided to do a term paper on the Sikh religion. This created constant interaction with her, and, because of my interest in her, she was interested in my belief system. I pray she will never forget my tiny gestures of kindness and concern. Margot, from Africa, was such a sweet woman. I noticed her sitting next to me and found out she had not been able to see her family in several years. My problems seemed so small compared to the load she carried. I found that my asking about her family brought a smile to her face as she told stories of life there. I remember a Korean man with a Ph.D. stating, “I don’t see how God could love me, I’m not that important.” I assured him that “...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Missionary to the World My concept of ministry had been distorted. When I would pray for my international friends, I wondered what I would say to them. I did not want to offend them or be insensitive to their culture. The Lord told me to love them and be real. So I did, and it was painless. When they asked, I would tell them. Without realizing it, I had reached the nations. I didn’t even have to move into a hut.
ninetyandnine.com © 2004, Amanda J. Glass --------- Amanda J. Glass holds a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Her international friends work constantly to set her up on job interviews. She is often mistaken to be Vietnamese and/or 14 years of age. |
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