here or there

Very amazing conversation with a great friend tonight as I was explaining to her about my experience listening to my aunt and uncle's journey in Jordan and my question of "Why aren't we all serving overseas???" She really got me thinking. She explained, that yeah, there's work to be done overseas, but there's PLENTY of work to be done here. That we send so many people over to other countries to save people over there and do work there, and forget all of the people that need help here. That anyone who is capable and called to serve goes away and serves elsewhere, and the people that are left are the complacent ones who aren't serving. So our own needs aren't being met.

It really made me think. We discount the work that is done here as if the people here aren't "needy enough", or at least not as needy as those overseas. I compare it in some way to how people adopt children from other countries when our foster system here is overflowing. It's like we feel like we're not really making a difference unless we go somewhere. Which is backwards. We're always making a difference. We have no idea how our lives, our everyday comings and goings affect others. We can make a difference without even trying at all. We shouldn't discount that. We don't need to go anywhere to make a difference. There are certainly enough people here who need our help. Not that going somewhere is the wrong thing to do, I am not in any way saying that. I can't say that the rest of my life will be spent in the US, I have no idea. I'll go where He leads me. For right now, that's here.

But leaving isn't the only way to make a difference, and certainly not the only way to make a BIG difference, which I think is often the thought. But it's not true. Serving in my city is still serving. God sees it all, He uses it all. He turned a few loaves and fishes into food for thousands. How much more will He expand my service toward a few people. I can't see it all. Ha, I can't see at all. But He sees it all. He uses it all. He'll use each and every one of us if we trust Him to. And He'll use us here, and all the way over there, wherever there might be. But just because I'm not going anywhere outside of my state at this point, that in no way discredits my service. And I think in some way I had felt like it did. And I think we overall feel that way, but it's not true. He uses all of us to do beautiful things, everywhere. In our offices, our homes, the grocery store, in line at the toll, on the phone with customer service people - who are often in other countries, think about that, you really are serving overseas! ;o)

The point is, not going is in no way less credible or meaningful than going. The difference is why.  Why do you stay? Why do you go? Do you stay because it's comfortable? Easy? Convenient? Safe? Do you go because you're running from something? For the change from mundane? For recognition?

I'd say any of those reasons is suspect.

Stay because God is using you here.
Go because God wants to use you there.

End of story.

It's not about our comfort, convenience, ego, etc. etc. none of that. It's about God and His plan. Which might be here, or there, wherever that may be.