Redemptive Perspective

This week we left Belize and started on our week long journey to the Philippines.  As we boarded a water taxi on Monday morning, I realized something was wrong with my foot.  I had about 10 bug bites that became open sores, and were beginning to show signs of infection.  It was too late to do anything by that time, so I climbed aboard the taxi, hoping that I'd have an opportunity to stop and get some medicine at one of our layovers.  Unfortunately not.

The first couple days were fine, but on the 6th hour of our 14 hour flight to Tokyo, my foot started swelling and became very red due to infection.  I found a gas station once we landed, and bought rubbing alcohol to treat it.  As I was sitting in the lobby of the hostel, a few of the ladies started asking me about my foot and offered some ointment.  I gratefully accepted, but failed to see the opportunity at hand.  I think I mentioned something about being a missionary, but I quickly changed the topic to muffled crying once they applied the ointment.

I woke up disappointed the following morning, because as painful as the ointment was, it didn't do a lot for my foot.  Luckily, we still had another day of traveling from Manila to Cebu, so I decided to lay around sleeping off the jet lag and dodging worries of amputation.  "mission work doesn't start until we reach the Philippines, right?"

I suddenly felt a conviction about my earthly perspective.  "An infected foot is going to stop you from spreading the gospel, Josh?  Do you remember Tom?"

Tom is a guy from my church who loves Jesus, and has a heart for evangelism.  He also has a bad case of diabetes, and lost both legs, an ear, fingers, and experiences weekly appointments at the hospital for check-ups.  Do you know what he does when he goes to the hospital?  He asks the nurses if they have a relationship with Jesus!  That's dedication.  How about Paul?  The guy was hardcore for Christ.  2 Cor 11:16-33 is a section dedicated to him boasting of his suffering.  Philippians 1:12-18 catches him rejoices, because his imprisonment has advanced the gospel.

So, there I was, disappointed about bug bites while the Toms and Pauls of the world lose limbs and freedom to advance the gospel.  Am I a failure as a missionary?

In the end, I realized that I'm not a Paul.  I'm not a Tom.  I'm just another kid, who is blessed to serve a merciful God.  I'm not as faithful or dedicated as those other guys, but my God loves me all the same.  He has made me a son, just the same.  At the same time, I'm also going to reveal my weakness to encourage you.  I blew that opportunity, but God works all things for the good of those that love Him.  Plus, He gives second chances (Peter, Jonah, David, Moses, etc), His mercies are new every morning, and He is redeeming my failure.  He is reminding me that my perspective needs to remain on the fact that I can rejoice in my trials, because they are an opportunity to share the good news.  

P.S.
Praise god that my foot is starting to heal.  We also started working at
www.cebu-mission.org this week, and it's been great!  Please let me know if you have specific questions, or would like to partner with me.