Perspective

What does it take to be a missionary today?

To do as the bible says, to go and make disciples.
In the workplace, at home, or around the world, 

it really comes down to just one thing.

Perspective.

Really, you say?  What could that possibly have to do with it?

Consider this:

You can go the best school.

You can have the best teachers.

You can have the best training.

You can study under the greatest minds.

You can have the full backing and support of the church.

You can have the blood of royalty flowing through your veins.

You can be gifted in linguistics.  

You can be passionate and full of fire.  

You can be on the cutting edge of society.

You can, in the eyes of the world, be completely and totally accomplished.

You can be gifted.

Guess what?

It still comes down to

 Perspective.

Where you fit in a God-sized economy.

There was another man who was top of the top, best of the best in his class. 

He had all of the above, including

Power.

Money.

Status.

Reputation.

Job security.

The right name.

And yet he considered his entire life-work of accomplishments comparable to one thing:  

Poop.

Yep. Stinky. Smelly, Steamy

Excrement.

Allow me to burn this illustration into your mind:

Take a big whiff...hold it..... really let it sizzle the hairs in your nostrils....

in fact, click on the image and get a nice close-up....

hold it...really study it....

ahhhh.

Can't you almost smell that from where you're sitting?

That's right.  

In Philippians 3:8, Paul said every credential in his life amounted to something so worthless that the mere sight and smell might make you gag, all for the greatness

of just KNOWING Christ.

So what does it take to know Jesus Christ, to be found in Him, to be about 

His business

and not our own?

Perspective.

If you step in a little 'credentials' along the way, whether they be your own or the residual of someone who's traveled the road before you,

no worries.

Just scrape it off and keep walking in the Lord.

When it's His power and not our own, 

that's when we'll have what it takes to make disciples.