excuse #14

i figure i probably oughtta finish up the 15 reasons people give for NOT going to the mission field that i was going thru from keith green's essay, "Why YOU Should Go To The Mission Field." i got thru #13 i believe. here's #14:

ok, really - this one's pretty preposterous. i've actually met people who might never have said it in so many words, but it is exactly how they feel. here it is:

"But God wants me to stay in this country and prosper. The reason the rest of the world is so poor and unconverted is because their heathen religions and idolatry have caused them to live in ignorance and poverty, without God's blessing."

this has to be the most selfish reasoning I've ever heard for not going - and i've actually heard it! of course some people overseas live in ignorance and poverty, that's exactly the reason you should go - to bring the enlightenment that comes from knowing the truth about Jesus, and to bring them the true riches of knowing Christ. if you don't believe that the reason God has blessed you with abundance in this country is so you can be a blessing to others - then you have never understood the Gospel of Jesus Christ! "Freely you received, freely give." (Matt. 10:8)

God help us if we ever think we earned this blessing or that He gave it to us to hoard or to just chill out with. we are blessed to be a blessing. that's the whole point of living.

ok - just one more excuse still to come.