Everyday Opportunities for Discipleship

A book I'm reading right now just posed this question:

    "What little things do you do all the time that can become missional?"

One of the goals of the CityGroup that Kayla and I help lead is to challenge each other to live as a family of missionary servants. Our goal is not to add activities to our schedules, but to see us take the things we already do and let them serve our mission of making disciples in the places God has placed us.

Right before Kayla and I made dinner tonight, I got a call from our neighbor, Nick, who wanted to check in on us and see what we were doing.  I told him we were about to make dinner and then I was going to try to catch some of my brother-in-law's football game.  He said "Okay, have a good night," and I hung up.  When I told Kayla about our conversation, she said "Why don't you invite him to come eat with us?"

So simple.  Here was a perfect opportunity to take everyday life and use it for the sake of the gospel.  The ugly truth was that I didn't want to.  I wanted to enjoy a dinner with my family.  By myself.  We had already started to make dinner.  I had shared with Nick before, and didn't seem to get anywhere.  The excuses (lies from the enemy) were rushing through my head. But the more Kayla and I talked, I knew it was of the Lord.  I called Nick and asked him to come, and he was at our door almost immediately.

We had a great time eating and hanging out, and ultimately God opened the door for us to talk through the Creation narrative and read about the Fall of man into sin in Genesis 3.  We got to talk about God sending Jesus to bear the sins of the world so that we might be saved through Him.  He said that he had heard of Jesus coming to die for us, but he had never heard the story of Creation or the story of Adam and Eve.

Nick didn't respond to the gospel tonight, but seeds were planted.  Seeds were planted that would have never been planted if Kayla didn't think to take a little thing and turn it into an opportunity for mission. It wasn't the easiest or most comfortable option.  It didn't seem convenient. But it ended up being for our joy, and Lord-willing, will lead to Nick finding life and hope in Jesus. Please join us in praying for Nick, and join us in praying that God would open all of our eyes to using the little, normal parts of our days into opportunities to make disciples of Jesus.

     "What little things do you do all the time that can become missional?" What keeps you from turning those things into opportunities to make disciples?