The Problem with Missionaries

My inner-self in moments of my own stubbornness and pride. 

Since the age of 5 I have lived in the world of missions (I may argue that it’s actually been since birth as both sets of my grandparents are missionaries, but I officially became an MK at 5 so that’s my start date). I’ve learned something in these 22 years of living among those chosen to “go to the ends of the earth,” and it’s not pretty. Missionaries are some of the most hard-headed, stubborn, selfish, change-phobic and downright annoying people on this planet. Sorry if this crushes my halo, (as I am stubborn and selfish) but it’s the truth.

We missionaries are a contradiction, a juxtaposition of the worst kind. In one breath we are self-sacrificing, lay down our lives on the altar, spreading the Good News kind of people and in the next we are unwilling to change, compromise, or work together for the good of the Kingdom. Trust me, it’s true. There are missionaries out there that refuse to work with other missionaries. Something happens, there’s an argument, and the relationship is broken. Sometimes we become so wrapped up in our own ministry we fail to see value in another’s ministry. We rank ministries based on different and unspoken criteria. We place priority on one and marginalize another (I am certainly guilty of this). We are workaholics and say it’s OK because we are doing it for the Kingdom. Ministry becomes a crutch; a reason to be neglectful of families, of friends, and even their relationship with Christ! Are you shocked yet?

The problem with missionaries is that sometimes we feel infallible and, unfortunately, there is precedent for this; often missionaries are treated as such by those that send us. But we, like all humanity, are broken. We need to be saved. The “title” doesn’t make a missionary better, it does not excuse us from devaluing other professions, it’s not sainthood, it doesn’t give us the right to be stubborn, prideful or mean. Those are sins. A missionary refusing to work with another because of our petty humanness is a sin. One of our missionaries stated it this way, “No one needs the gospel more than a missionary!” We are one body and we are called to reach the lost as one body. The lost are not just an unreached people group; they are often family members, children, neighbors, co-workers. Unfortunately we cover our sins with fancy words like, it’s just a “difference in vision.” That’s the enemy’s trap missionaries can fall in to. How can we love the unreached when we cannot love one another?

There are exceptions to every rule. This blanket statement is more about myself than others, I'm sure. For every bad there’s a good. The truth, though, is we are all flawed – no one is an exception to that rule. We are sinful, we are human. The beauty of our Lord is that he uses the sinful. He died that we might be saved. Being saved doesn’t mean we become perfect or without sin. He chose humans, flaws and all, to proclaim HIS glory. We all are called to proclaim his name, whether we have the occupation of “missionary” or not. Perfection was reserved for only one human being, Jesus.

Missionaries should, and are, grateful to be used despite our sin. We just forget it sometimes. We are only successful in the Great Commission when the Holy Spirit chooses to work through us. We alone have no impact; it’s only through Christ that we are given influence. It’s humbling. And we all can use the reminder that without Christ we are nothing, just lost and broken.