Devout folk often think about the possibility of missionary work, but the reality is that it's not for everybody. Being a missionary reflects God’s calling. It also claims something about you as a person in the way you walk your talk and see the world.
If you find yourself wondering if you're called to be a missionary it's time for some major introspection. There are key attributes to those that sign on for missionary work and if these traits are not part of your way of life, you would be required to be ready and willing for self-development before going into the field.
So what sort of qualities should a potential missionary possess? First, you have to be aware about the day-to-day lives and needs of those you would serve. Reaching out isn’t simply a matter of a handshake – there are cultural divides and you need to come prepared with the right tools for bridge-building.
This bridge-building ties into another quality – worldwide mindedness. While Christ calls us to be in the world , although not ‘of it ‘, outreach needs a thick skin. Some will receive you gladly, others get rude and others still may even be indignant. If you can face all those eventualities with grace and kindness – there's a missionary inside of you waiting to come out. Staying even minded and overcoming culture shock without skipping a beat makes you very valuable in the field as a representative of Christ.
Compassion nearly doesn't need to be said re missionary attributes. You need to care and have a heartfelt desire to put that caring into effective actions. Irrespective of how difficult some lost souls seem, there's redemption for everybody. It just requires an exceedingly special person to communicate that in the best way so that Jesus shines thru the darkness.
From a practical viewpoint it definitely helps if you enjoy travelling and experiencing new places, however remote. It also helps if you happen to have got a variety of gifts to bring to the table during your outreach – stuff like drama and song have ways of reaching some of the people miles better than words. Your ability in different humanities or data sets also gives you a foundation on which to build with the people you'll be meeting – being a human with similar interests and allowing them to get to understand you on that level.
Even recognizing all of these signs may not let you know for certain if you are called to be a missionary. Really that moment of doubt is extremely ordinary. Maybe a short term mission trip would resolve the query conclusively for you. Once you are in the field you'll see how your spirit responds to the requirements of the people, and base future endeavors on that experience.
Phil Smethurst owns of Overland Missions, an association that offers missionary trips and ways to raise funding for those trips from their website.
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