Brothers and Sisters from Afar

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. - Matthew 12:50

This past couple of weeks have been a life-changing experience for me. Our church hosted three mission teams from different states, and a total of 40+ college students who decided to honor God with their spring break time. It was my first time taking the organizer's responsibility for such a huge event - although a lot of them looked at me thinking that I must be a pro, this is actually a brand new experience for me.


It all started with Chris Martin's talk about spiritual gifts at last Faithwalkers. He mentioned that the best way to discover one's spiritual gift is through serving (in different areas). Afterwards we discussed about everyone's spiritual gift(s) at the church tie-down time, and I said, "I think my biggest spiritual gift is administration, although I never get to use it." Then I saw a few eyes lightened up, "Really?! You could really help organizing the spring break mission trips!"

There was a lot of preparation, and a lot of praying, before the teams came. But the results turned out to be way better than I personally had expected. Not only did we have a total of 12 salvations on campus, and many other good seeds sowed along the path, but we had a great time serving each other and serving the Lord together. I still couldn't believe how deep was the friendship we built in merely a few days - I almost cried when I watched the UF team drive away! (And of course, being a very practical person, I started looking for airports near Gainsville as soon as I got home.) Then I realized why we felt like brothers and sisters in just a few days, because "whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother"!

But the best part is yet to come! A few days later when I went to church for the Sunday service, and to welcome the last of the three teams, I found a "thank you" card from the previous teams. Everyone wrote something heart-moving, and I finally ended with tears in my eyes by the time I finish what everyone had written. It is the biggest reward here in earth! I don't have to wait until I get to heaven to share the rewards of those righteous men and faithful servants of the Lord because I have received them (Mt 10:41), even just the reward here in earth is way more worthy than the time and effort I spent in serving these saints and serving with them. Then I also remembered how Berk talked about this promise in the Bible:
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. - Matthew 19:29
He said that almost anywhere in this country he goes, he would find a dear friend and co-laborer for Christ who would be delighted to open up his home and welcome him, and that is the hundreds of houses God has given him according to His promises. For the same time, I feel the same.

Not only that, for the first time I envy Ross' job - I wish I could do this all day long as my full time job - serving other saints and serving with them! God is a irony-maker. Before I was saved, I said I would never be a teacher, because I had no patience, no mercy, and no compassion for "the stupid". But God changed my heart and desire, so now I not only have realized that I am one of "the stupid", and rejoiced that I am one of "the stupid" (or "the chosen", 1 Cor 1:27), I am actually getting a degree so I can become a full time teacher afterwards! Yet this trip made another twist in this irony - while I am working hard to get ready to teach, now God has "upgraded" my desire that I want to be a full time servant serving Him and His saints. Thank you Lord and thank you my brothers and sisters from afar!