August 25, 2008

Be vs. Do

SOME YEARS AGO we moved into a professional-class neighborhood in Guayaquil, Ecuador. We were to plant a church among this least-reached people group. We didn’t know anyone, and God impressed upon us that we needed to ‘be’ and not worry so much about ‘doing.’ We needed to be His love in a place where people’s houses and garages are full, but their hearts are empty. What we are is more important than what we do. The fruit of the Spirit is much more important than the gifts of the Spirit.

Recently my husband and I had the opportunity to ‘be’ Missionaries-in-Residence at Toccoa Falls College. We enjoyed the classroom teaching, but our favorite part was the ‘being’ part—hanging out with students, talking, laughing, cooking, crying, traveling, and praying together. The tendency is to get so involved working for God that sometimes we find out that we are not working with him. We can do nothing to make God love us more—He loves me whether I teach one seminary class or a million seminary classes. He dwells among us, and I have made my home in Him. I hope when the world sees me they see a sign that reads “Holy Spirit-In-Residence.”

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:14a)

(By Mrs. Stephanie Beers, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, TFC Alumna, TFC Missionary-in-Residence. Taken from the book: Leaves From the Tree God Planted © 2006 by Toccoa Falls College, p. 26-27)