Where Is Your Mission Field?

There are a lot of critics when it comes to serving in international missions. People ask me all the time why I’m going to serve in another country when there are so many people in need here in my own backyard, and my answer used to just be that I was called to do that and other people were called to do the same here. But lately I’ve changed my view. Why can’t we do both? I’m not leaving for India tomorrow or going to some village in Africa next week, so in the mean time what can I be doing to help those people here? Well the obvious thing is through my job. Yeah I know I work in a coffee shop, it’s not the most glamorous job (though a friend of mine thinks it could easily be made into a movie) but I still have been given a great opportunity to reach people. Whether it’s by the music that I’m playing, starting up a conversation with some tourists looking for things to do, friendly banter with my regulars or maybe even something as simple as a smile and telling them to have a great day. Because of where I work I’m normally one of the first people that my customers see in the morning so I know that I’ve been given an opportunity to shift their day with a little bit of optimism. When I started this job I knew as little as a person could know about coffee but I did know that I’m a pretty good listener, plus my Pastor offered me the job so I couldn’t really turn him down. Recently a friend told me that my job title goes beyond a barista and is more like a holy bartender. We both laughed about it but she said she was actually being very serious. It’s funny but I do have a lot of regular customers that completely open up to me and occasionally I even get the opportunity to pray for them right here in the shop. I’m so blessed by this job. Just because you’re not working at some extravagant place or helping people in a third world country doesn’t mean that you can’t make a difference wherever you are right now. Make the most of every opportunity that the Lord gives you, because He will bless you with more once you show Him that you can control what He has already blessed you with.

“They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.

Psalm 77:12