On a Mission

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle… Romans 1:1

Paul delighted in doing God’s work, God’s way! He was on a mission with God. Paul was all in with God from the moment of his blinding conversion on the road to Damascus. Incidentally, through the years, his focus never changed. What was it? The souls of men! That not only captivated Paul’s heart, but their souls’ destiny held his attention and propelled him forward.

Paul was effective because he didn’t judge others. He loved their souls instead. That’s huge because it made him effective in his efforts. After all, when we judge them, it shuts folks down. How effective shall we be if we say we’re loving but are condemning instead? Not very! And these missed opportunities may not come back to us again. We must remember to speak the truth in love and welcome them into the kingdom because the goodness of God leads to repentance and ultimately salvation – never scorn judgment nor criticism. That’s why Paul’s method was so effective – it was Christ-like and divinely inspired.

Paul cared nothing about who they were personally. He cared not one whit about what they possessed, where they’d been, or what they’d done, either good or bad. Those details were irrelevant to Paul, as they are to God. Lest we forget, God sees us in the future, in Christ’s completeness, and that was Paul’s hope and prayer. That’s why what most held Paul’s focus was what men believed and confessed, and in light of that, their soul’s eternal resting place – be it heaven or hell. If you’re wondering how he could be so focused or how he accomplished all he did - it’s simple – it was all God!

What’s the takeaway? To do God’s work God’s way, we must speak the truth and love unconditionally. Honestly, if we looked closely, we’d probably find a bigger speck in our own eye. So it’s better to remove it and love your brothers and sisters well because, in Christlikeness, that’s effectively good work.

Prayer: Mighty and gracious Lord, help us be judgment-free and serve others well. After all, your love has been poured out to all. Who are we to damn up the flow? Thank you for showing us how to work with you and not for you. Amen and amen.