God uses all kinds of people

There was a story back on August 11, 2011 in Baptist Press about Jake “Grece” (his last name was changed for his protection). It told how Jake sits at his computer in Africa answering email from a missionary couple. They have a question about their finances and Jake is their man ... an IMB missionary working as an accountant.

Accountants may not be the first image that pops into people's heads when talking about missionaries, but that's exactly how Jake, a Nebraska native, answered his call to missions. He uses his financial skills in the office while also focusing on ministering to those around him, whether it's frazzled missionaries or local villagers.

Lynn Burton serves as associate vice president for the International Mission Board's office of finance explains people like Jake are a "missionary first with an assignment to do financial support. That's the one thing they are to always focus on. In their job description, the very first line is 'witnessing and participating in Christian life.'"

As I read this, I wondered shouldn’t this be the story of each of us? As God’s children, no matter what task God has gifted and called us to, shouldn’t our job description be “a missionary first … witnessing and participating in Christian life”? Too often we think that God cannot use our particular skill set. Let me remind you that God called you to be a “witness” (see Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:18-20, and other passages) and it was He who gifted you with the ability to work where you do.

Right now in South East Asia there’s a group of 18 representing the Lord and His Church here in Bowling Green. They are faithfully following God’s call to make Him famous in all the world. These include 3 teenagers, a businessman, a retired professor, a house wife, a retired butcher, a pharmacy assistant, a General Motors supervisor, an author and a couple of ministers of the gospel. Did you notice the great variety of vocations and ages represented? You know what the one thing they all have in common, besides Christ of course? They all heard the voice of God when He said, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” and they each responded, “He am I, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

What about you? What stops you from fulfilling the “Great Commission” by going to your classmate, neighbor, co-worker, or ½ way around the world on the next mission trip? For most of us, the only thing stopping us is either an unwillingness to be used by God this way or a disobedient spirit that says in essence “I am my own god and will do what I want to do.”