Giving Up To Serve

Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.

Matthew 19:29

MISSIONARIES SEEM TO get one of two responses in our world. On the one hand are those who think such commitment is foolish, a waste. On the other hand are those who revere them as the great saints of our time, people who have given everything, sacrificed all for their Lord. Think of people such as John Wesley, Adoniram Judson, Hudson Taylor, Mother Teresa, and more recently, the Burnhams, who were kidnapped by militant Muslims in the Philippines.

But there are many ways to “give up” something for God that don’t call for a lifelong journey to Africa or Indonesia. The woman who, in the name of Christ, gives up her time to watch a single mother’s son so she can work is as worthy of a reward as any missionary. The CEO who refuses to compromise the principles of integrity to gain more money, the NFL player who responds to a call to the ministry, the young woman who gives up a dream of becoming a doctor to help the love of her life through medical school by working as he studies—all these kinds of sacrifices done for Christ are noticed and will be rewarded by God.

Over and over the Bible assures us that anything we give up for Christ—whether it’s Monday Night Football to help the kids with their homework, going out with friends so we can give the money to support a missionary, or traveling to a disaster area to help rebuild homes and lives instead of taking a vacation to the beach—will never be forgotten or overlooked on that great day when God opens his big basket of rewards.