Who is influencing you?

Stephanie and I have been blessed with "going into the world" a couple of times. We took a short-term mission trip to Peru and I went on a short-term mission trip to Greece. I am drawn to missions. I love going into other cultures and being a light in a world that experiences a lot of darkness. As a youth and then again as a youth leader, I went on mission trips here in the United States to Red-Bird Mission, to the hills of West Virginia, and to the poor in South Carolina. Each trip was so valuable in my understanding of what it means to GO into all the world. 

But, missionary work is not easy. This was brought to my mind today as I was reading this scripture in Jeremiah:

"Night and day my eyes overflow with tears. I cannot stop weeping for my virgin daughter -- my precious people -- has been struck down and lies mortally wounded. If I go out into the fields, I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy. If I walk the city streets, I see people who have died of starvation. The prophets and priests continue with their work, but they don't what they're doing." (Jeremiah 14:17,18)

Mission work, even within our own communities, is not easy. When we go out into the world we will see the pain of lives broken without the Lord. We will see starvation both physical and spiritual. When we walk the city streets our hearts will cry out to God. It is so easy to get a cynical view of people. It is so easy when we see all the pain and suffering to give up hope. We can ask why? Why, God, would you allow all this to happen? Do you hate us? Have you completely rejected us? It is easy to give up hope, to be consumed by all the suffering. Instead of US influencing THEM, we join them in hopelessness. Listen to how Jeremiah continued:

"Lord, have you completely rejected Judah? Do you really hate Jerusalem? Why have you wounded us past all hope of healing? We hoped for peace, but no peace came. We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror. Lord, we confess our wickedness, and that of our ancestors, too. We all have sinned against you." (Jeremiah 14:19,20)

It is so easy to blame God for all the bad in this world, the homelessness, starvation, oppression, discrimination, abuse, and violence. It is so easy to give up hope. Who is influencing who? DO we share the message of hope or are we consumed by despair? Are we changing the world or are they changing us? 

It is easy to think there is no way we could make a difference. People fight against us and the hope we bring. What difference are we making when they are attacking us from all sides.? It feels like the darkness is consuming us! Even in the midst of the deep dark sin experienced by Jeremiah, there was hope. God sent Jeremiah to be a light and he sends us. The message he gave Jeremiah is the same one He gives us:

"If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you! They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze. They will not conquer you for I am with you to protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken! Yes, I will certainly keep you sage from these wicked me, I will rescue you from their cruel hands. (Jeremiah 15:19,20)

We praise God for the hope to serve as missionaries around the world and right here in our backyard. We will not be defeated because the Lord is on our side. We will influence the world for the Lord, we will not be influenced by the world to give up hope!