Have you ever noticed how job descriptions always glorify the actual responsibilities of the job?
I mean, the job description of a doctor never includes the long hours, the lack of sleep, the time stolen from family to care for patients. It never includes being splattered with blood or having to witness the trauma that they come in contact with daily, and I’ve never, ever read a doctor’s job description that included increased risk of contracting communicable diseases.
There are plenty of other examples. The job description of a cook doesn’t include the potential for being burned or sued because someone got sick after eating at your establishment; and the job description of a prayer warrior doesn’t include the fervent unrest in the heart whenever there is a prayer need.
There is one job description, however, that does include all the negative things to be encountered, and it is the one job that we are all called to do: Witnessing!
We’ve all read the texts, and they don’t leave good feelings of warm fuzzies!
Here is one example, written to what sounds like a rather discouraged preacher: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:2-5 NKJV).
This next example comes from Jesus Himself in His description of end times: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake…And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold…And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:9,12,14 NKJV).
No, it isn’t a job description that many would jump upon. So why isn’t it written with all the glory that you find in most job descriptions? Why didn’t the Bible just leave out the bad stuff?
Because in His love, God wants us to know exactly what we are up against when we preach the gospel. He wants us to be prepared. He wants us to rely on Him 100% of the time.
Of course the great commission isn’t without reward: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.“ (Mathew 24:13 NKJV). Paul goes on to tell Timothy the benefits of his faithful service to the Lord: “…there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV). And check out this admonition from Paul to the church at Galatia: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9 NKJV). Remember: God will never ask us to do something He isn’t prepared to help us through: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13 NKJV)
I am so happy to serve a God who tells us up front what is ahead of me, both the good and the bad, and then promises to give me the strength to endure!
Prayer: Lord, help us to not be afraid of the Great Commission! Give us the desire in our hearts, the love that comes from You, to want to spread the gospel, at any cost. For just as You have defined for us the problems we will encounter, You have also clearly spelled out the priceless reward!
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart
Moderator, Author, Associate Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
