They Are Rich Now

“You were a horrible worthless missionary. You never led anyone to Christ yourself. What kind of missionary goes to the field and never leads a national to Christ?”

Loud and accusing words filled my head as I went about my morning routine.

“You’re like that third son that the Bible never talks about. The one whose brothers were told to go work in the fields and one said “yes” and didn’t go and one said “no” but then went anyway. You are that third brother that said he would go but didn’t really whole heartedly want to but went dragging his feet. Yeah, you’re like that third son God doesn’t talk about.”

The words come out of my mouth, loud, through almost clenched teeth, “I. went.”

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Arriving late, I zip on white and put on purple and fall into line.

Walking out onto the platform, bright lights shining and yet … inside I feel so dark and empty… and guilty.

The praise band plays the beginning notes of the first song and the words flash up on the wall. As I read the words, memories flash through my mind, these lyrics, first taught to me in English –with a strong Cebuano accent.

“Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks to the Holy One, Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son…”

Give thanks with a grateful heart.

Something I’ve been working at doing in this space every Monday and recently passed my One Thousandth gift I’ve given thanks for –here.

Yes, Lord I’ve been trying to do that. I am doing that.

“Let the poor say ‘I am rich’…”

She’s rich now.

What?

She is rich now even though she is poor.

What do you mean Lord?

She is rich because you went. So are many others that were reached because you went. Because you went others were reached.

Your husband would not have reached them if you had defiantly said “No. I won’t go.”

But. you. went.

Now, Gloria is rich. And so is Domingo, and Connie and Mar and their kids. And all the kids (and adults) that are reached by those ministries that were planted. Though many of them wear tattered clothes and live in homes of bamboo woven walls with dirt floors… they are rich now.

You went. That is all I asked. You obeyed me.

Understanding opens floodgates and relief flows down my face and through my soul washing away all the false guilt left behind by the angry condemning words of the Accuser, sneered so very early in the morning.

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