Reflectors

              “If I knew then what I know now, things would have been different” or “Youth is wasted on the young.” These are little sayings that show what we think about our own actions at an earlier age. As we prepared to go to a different mission field, we were assigned the task of designing a “prayer card.” The card would have a current picture a few facts about where we were going, the name of the mission board, family names, a couple of addresses and most of all, a Scripture passage that defined our purpose for going. We chose the passage that is mentioned in today's devotional. Second Corinthians 4:5-6 says, “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

          As new missionaries, we had been persuaded to learn our Spanish in Spain rather than Mexico or Latin America due to the different pronunciation of certain letters. We were landing in Spain with no language skills and were thrown in the midst of a people to whom we wanted to be their servants for Jesus' sake. We basically struggled for nine months as we endeavored to get a basic language down well enough to communicate to the people. While the goal was great, the skills did not lend them selves to accomplishing the goal. Paul's objective was to not preach himself but Christ to all those in which he came in contact. He described the process as a light that shined out of darkness and then shining into our hearts and then reflecting out to others. I have mentioned before that we were nothing more than “reflectors” of that Light. Going to a different culture to tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ is no different than the task to which we have been assigned here in our own culture. Missionaries are being sent all over the world from one culture to another and from one language to another. I knew of one missionary who was from South America who was called to go to Germany while a missionary from Germany was called to go to Majorca. There are those times we we forget the mission that is right in front of us. You can travel over 3,000 miles in America and still speak English. The Light is still shining in our hearts even here and it is reflecting out to those to whom we come in contact each and every day. Paul's mission is the same as ours. Acts 26:18 gives us the message from God to Paul as to what Paul would be doing. “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Paul was going to be able to do what God commanded because that Light was shining in Him and reflecting out to others. It is quite evident that the world is in darkness as God's standards, precepts, laws, commandments, testimonies, Word are being broken time and time again. How will people hear the message of redemption? It is up to you and me to reflect the Light to others. Praise God today for the mission that He has given to all of us.