Tena tātou katoa e te iwi mīhana… (Greetings to all the people in mission)

This month’s whakataukī is: “Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu.”  (Although it’s small, it is greenstone – a precious jade).

“Who despises the day of small things?” (Zech. 4:10 NIV)? In our era of ‘fake news’ it is all too easy to default to pessimism. If you have navigated academia to post-graduate level then critical thinking becomes second nature and you go looking for a messenger’s ‘angle’ or the alt.views on a subject. History teaches us that what is positively declared today may be dismissed tomorrow or even derided for its failure to make good on its promises. Jer. 6:13-14 warns us to be wary of empty promises of peace and wellbeing.

It is healthy to have our reality checked regularly as we look at our nation’s rates of homelessness, abused children, full prisons, threatened environments and outrageous suicide numbers. By all means, cry out “how long o’ Lord?!” (Psalm 6:3 etc.), but do it while you’re working for change.

God’s people on mission are proactive not reactive. We mustn’t let pessimism shut us down. We are a people of faith not doubt. I don’t mean blind faith, but a deep trust that is solidly anchored. Faith comes by hearing something that is authentic, trustworthy and true; from messengers that give you a reason to believe them because they are witnessing to what they themselves have come to know to be true (cf. Romans 10:17). Where is the evidence that what is being said is worth believing? Does Scripture align? Does the messenger’s life and reputation align? Is there defensible evidence that roots assumption in reality more than a mere wishful interpretation of reality? What is the context of the message, does it apply to me/us? If so, how?

Truth, then, is relative to the relationship.

Faith is anchored in relationship. It is dependent on the authority of the person who is promising certainty of things hoped for but not yet seen. Truth, then, is relative to the relationship. Can I trust that what this person is saying is true? Truth confirmed (by your own experience) no longer requires faith because it is faith fulfilled, but for another person it may yet remain a faith-filled expectation.

When Zechariah proclaimed that Zerubbabel would see the rebuilding of the temple completed, even though it was still a seed idea, he was asking his hearers for faith. His prophecy was eventually proven true, and their faith (and the resources released because of their faith) was rewarded. When I listen to the visions, victories and vexed questions of missions leaders I assume that their contributions to God’s mission are ‘pounamu’ (greenstone/jade), treasured possessions.

There may be cause for contextual caution against accepting at face value today’s success stories (or struggles) from churches and missions, but let’s not lose sight of the larger picture—they’re all precious stones God is using to build a different kind of temple: a dwelling for the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:10ff).

Let’s all continue to help build that Kingdom of God temple as we #stayonmission. 👊🏼

Ma te Atua e manaaki koutou (may you all experience the very best things from God),

Jay