As I get older, I often think about people who’ve influenced my life over the years. Today, I’m thinking about Christ-followers whose faith pushes me—folks who just amaze me. Here are some of those folks:
- Missionaries. It doesn’t matter to me where they’re going or what they’ll be sacrificing; in every situation, I’m amazed by people who obey the Lord by packing up everything and moving across the ocean to places and peoples not always ready to listen. Thank you, missionaries.
- Parents and grandparents of missionaries. I cannot imagine the tension between (1) wanting your children to obey the Lord as you’ve raised them, and (2) rejoicing when their obedience means you won’t see them very often. Such a position surely means rejoicing + tears. Parents and grandparents of missionaries, thank you.
- Faithful, trusting laypersons in the church. Particularly, I’m thinking of those who’ve remained faithful even when the bottom drops out of their lives. I’ve learned much about faith from folks I was called to shepherd through really hard times; I may have been the pastor, but I was really the student. Laypersons, you know who you are. Thank you.
- Long-term pastors who’ve finished well. I watch for these role models, and I’m always grateful when I meet them and learn from them (in fact, I wrote about those who finish well in this post). To run the race faithfully all the way to the end is to be an ongoing witness to others. Thank you, pastors, who’ve stood strong all the way.
- Couples who endure through conflict and fall to save their marriage. I know this is not easy, and perhaps that’s why they amaze me. Without ever affirming sinful choices that could have broken a home, I see the gospel in marriages that exhibit grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. To those couples, I say “Thank you.”
- Teens who stand up for the gospel. I thought it was hard to be a faithful teenager in the 70’s, and I can’t imagine what it’s like today. The peer pressure must be intense. Faithfulness must be lonely at some points. Temptations must be strong. Thank you, faithful teen, for your witness to me.
- Believers under persecution. I have met believers around the world whose bodily scars are evident of the prices they’ve paid to follow Jesus. I’ve also worshiped with believers one day, but then have to move to another place the next day because of security concerns. At the same time, though, I’ve seen in these believers the deepest joy I’ve ever seen. Thank you, dear friends around the world.
Who are the believers who amaze you?