The willingness to sacrifice in order that others might come to know the Lord is best guaged not by where or how a person is serving, but by what the attitude of the server is. Yesterday I met a young family living in a very rural area of north Costa Rica. They moved there a little over 3 years ago from the city. They left a good job and comfortable home to live in a small house in the country. I can't swear to it, but it looked like there was a dirt floor. The young man does repairs on small appliances to feed his wife and two children. I can't imagine there is a lot of work in the village where they live.
But...they were glad to be there. He spoke of getting to know the people in the area, ministering to them as he could, and his small congregation of 15 adults plus children. They have two worship services on Sundays, weekday Bible study, a weekly activity for young people and a "kids club".
Why did they go? Probably he could answer that question better than I, but it has to do with seeing a need and feeling that God wants you to fill that need, with His help of course. The hope isn't for personal gain, any kind of advancement or recognition. No doubt this intelligent young pastor could have stayed where he was and gotten a "city" church, but that wasn't what the Lord called him to do.
To me, he's a hero of the faith. I live in a nice house, drive a good car,(He has a bicycle and half a motorcycle...frame, no motor.)and eat out several times a week. Yeah, I go out to the villages and work, but I always come home, take a hot shower, eat a nice supper, watch a little TV and climb into a nice clean bed. Don't attribute sacrifice to me. What do I know about that?
Sure, I want your prayers, need them, but be fervent for Jaime and Carla, Jeremy and Ivet, Elian and Gabriela, and others that I don't know about who are really out there...living the life, and for what? So that people who don't otherwise have a source of the truth will have the opportunity to know it.
