I would like to suggest that often, your own perspective on something is God-given. It was for a hero of mine. Andrew van der Bijl, widely known as Brother Andrew, had a very different perspective. Andrew passed away two days ago (9/27/22) at the age of 94. He is now in the presence of Jesus, and is also now reunited with his wife of 60 years, Corrie, who passed in 2018. As I write this, he is hearing, Well done, good and faithful servant, something I aspire to one day, and I imagine you do too.
As a Dutch Christian in his twenties, Andrew had devoted his life to mission work. He went to a missionary training school in Britain. God taught him a lot there, and he assumed that after he graduated, he would join a friend of his who was serving in Korea. But God had other plans for Andrew--plans He had put into play from before the foundation of the world.
Two weeks before graduation, God brought something else across Andrew's path. Something that would change the course of his life, and modern church history. Andrew found a magazine that advertised a trip behind the Iron Curtain, open to students. Something about this struck him, deep in his heart. He felt led to go on this trip, which was to promote Communism to young people. Andrew was upfront with the leaders arranging it, telling them that he was training to be a missionary. He wanted to join the trip, and would listen to their talks about Communism, as long as he could share about Christ. These conditions were amazingly accepted, and Andrew was on his way to a very unique mission field. No one from the outside had done ministry in the Soviet Bloc before this. This was a new, and quite formidable, mission field. Andrew's missionary school had sent workers all over the world--except behind the Iron Curtain. No one wanted to go there. But Andrew did. God had formed his heart and passions a little differently. He knew this opportunity was of the Lord.
The verse that God gave him on this very first trip was Revelation 3:2a Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die... He knew the Holy Spirit was revealing His will for Andrew's life. He was to spend his life strengthening what remained--Christians and churches in trouble, at risk, much like believers throughout history have been. This was the calling on Andrew's life, and it led him on the adventure of a lifetime. His ministry to Communist nations can be read about in his breathtaking book God's Smuggler (1967, view here). After the Cold War ended, he did ministry in Islamic nations, and you can read about that in his book Secret beleivers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ (2008, view here).
God had put that heart into Andrew long before that moment of calling. As a young man, he had tried every way he could to find fulfillment and adventure, and came up lacking. Disappointment and heartache left him very doubtful that God could have anything for him. That's where he was wrong! God ended up calling him to a life of adventure, intrigue, risk and excitement. God used Andrew's own gifts and heart for His glory.
I relate to a lot of Andrew's story. God has led me to some unique ministry situations that others seem not to notice. Maybe you can relate to Brother Andrew's story, too. Or maybe you can't. Maybe God's unique calling for you is vastly different, and God has given you other role models than he gave me. My point is, God created you for His purposes, different from anyone else. What most distinguishes you from others just might be the thing that brings God the most glory! Here are some truths you can bank on.
God intentionally knit you together in your mother's womb: For You created my innermost parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13God chose you! According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Ephesians 1:4
God planned exactly where (geographically) and when (historically) you would live. ...having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation... Acts 17:26
God has plans that He created for you to fulfill: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
God is working all things for your good, all the time! And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.
God will complete what He started in you. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6.
God is on your side! What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:31
God will strengthen you to accomplish His will. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31.
You will reap the rewards of obedience as you follow God. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. Hebrews 10:35-36. And another favorite verse on the subject: Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary. Galatians 6:9.
You are victorious! For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. First John 5:4
If you follow God's leading, you will be able to say in the end, with the Apostle Paul: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. Second Timothy 4:7-8
What passion has God given you that is different from others? A man at my church is a dentist, and he felt a passion to start up a dental clinic for the poor, where people could get dental work done free of charge, and also hear the Gospel. Dental work certainly isn't my passion or ability. But it was his. God had uniquely gifted and called him. Another friend of mine has a passion for providing clean water for everyone on earth, and she gives to causes that help promote that in hard areas of the world. What passion has God put into you? What opportunities has He given you that others might not have had?
Years ago, I taught a Good News Club in my hometown of Riverside, California. We held the club every Wednesday afternoon, right in the middle of town. We had between thirty and fifty elementary-aged children every week. Some came from in-tact homes (many were Christian families), while others were wild ragamuffins who roamed the streets and got into mischief. Among the children who attended were a set of six siblings. They called themselves "Brady Bunch without the Dad." There were three girls and three boys, ranging in age from kindergarten to sixth grade. Like the fictional Brady Bunch, the girls all had "hair of gold," and the boys had dark hair. The similarities between the G-rated TV show and this real-life family ended here.
The father of these children was in prison, and their mother was emotionally unavailable (though physically present). Their grandmother and aunt were part of their lives, and did a lot for them, but they lacked guidance. God really laid them on my heart, and as I got to know them, especially the oldest girl, I saw a heart for the Lord, and I felt God leading me to fine-tune that, and disciple her. I ended up taking all six kids to Sunday church and to Wednesday night AWANA weekly, and the eldest three were part of my summer evangelism team over the years. I believe this was God's plan for me long before I came into being.
When I first got involved with this family, some "nice" Christians from around town questioned me about it. They wanted to know why I would invest in them. One person said, "They don't exemplify the fruit of the Spirit." Well wasn't that the point? Another demanded, "How could you get involved with children like that? Their father is in prison!" (To this comment, I thought of the words of Jesus in Mark 2:17: They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.) This ministry to these kids wasn't these people's callings, so it seemed odd to them, but it was my calling. Is there something like that you are being called to, or have been called to in the past? Something others might not understand, but you know is from the Lord? When Brother Andrew started his work behind the Iron Curtain, some people thought what he wanted to do wasn't feasible, just like those who didn't see the wisdom in my working with my Brady Bunch kids. We are not answerable to these people, we are answerable to Christ. Obeying God's calling amidst opposition (even mild opposition) is an act of faith, and faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).
A little clue about what God's calling to you might be is this. When you see someone else doing that thing, you feel a sense of invigoration. A sense of I should do that! This other person's testimony resounds with you. Maybe you see yourself in their story, much as I could while reading God's Smuggler. It doesn't mean God's plan for you will be exactly the same, but God may be giving that example as something to hold out for in your own life. I am prayerfully starting to work on a future blog post that will expound on this topic of things resounding with us. Stay tuned for that!
One of the reasons Brother Andrew served as such a role model to me was his emphasis on the Gospel. I love this quote by him: Christians need a new filling of the Holy Spirit to love those who disagree with them. And the greatest expression of love is to share with them the most precious thing a Christian has, which is the good news of the salvation of Jesus Christ. So many people I meet nowadays want to just focus on showing love by being nice and leaving it at that, but they would consider sharing the Gospel to be too far, and call even the mildest witnessing attempts to be "shoving it down their throats." Those accusations have been my lot in life as I've followed God's plans for me. I have been in trouble for sharing the Gospel, here in America, and more so in the 20th century than the 21st, I'll add. I may not have gone behind the Iron Curtain, but I've dealt with seeker-sensitive youth leaders, and politically-correct bosses who shamed me deeply, and forbade me to continue sharing Christ. I was put in hard situations of having to choose. I had my very first job (at a Christian setting) on the line for it. Between the ages of 14 and 19, I was in several situations where I had to choose to obey God rather than man. I had to count the cost and pay the price, believing I would one day reap the reward. I was in one particular situation where I had to secretly witness, like a spy. I had to depend on God to shield me from having what I did be exposed. Though the stakes weren't as high as for Christians living under communism, it could have cost me my job, and did cost me relationships, including a dating relationship I was in. That is why Brother Andrew became such a role model to me. Someone was doing what I was doing. Many voices around me (supposedly fellow Christians) were condemning me, but this story of a faithful Christian Dutchman many years my senior validated me. Has anyone done that for you, encouraging you onward in your calling? Who are your heroes of the faith? I hope my life has that validating effect on other Christians. Another blog post I am praying about writing is about my "spy" evangelism days, but I want to write it in the right way. It's a tricky story, but continues to affect the way I do ministry to this day.
Brother Andrew is in Heaven, and we on earth must go on, the poorer for losing him from this life. But there are others. There are always others. You, for example. God has you on earth at this time in history, at the place He has put you. Sometimes, His plans for us are exciting, like smuggling Bibles to believers in closed nations, just barely avoiding being caught by government agents who could execute you! Other times, following God's plans can be obediently going to work, and living for Christ there, having no idea you are being an example to your coworkers. There are exciting days, and quiet days in our service for Him, but it all matters. I have worked in both ministry and secular work, and I have seen God use me in both. Both have been part of His plans for me. Even in ministry (where I find myself now, and have at different times in my past), there are exciting days of seeing people come to salvation, and there are quiet days of doing paperwork. It is all part of God's will. How are you following God's leading for you right now? Who is your role model (the way Brother Andrew has been mine)? Who are you being a role model to?
Sometimes, we are called to wait for a while. From the days Brother Andrew first longed and strove for adventure to the days he finally got it were a number of years of waiting. Think of David. In First Samuel 16, Samuel came to anoint him as the future king of Israel. But David did not assume the throne until about 15 years later--and those were 15 hard years for him, where his life was threatened much of the time, and his best friend was killed. Sometimes, we have to wait, but God is always faithful, and even those times of waiting aren't wasted. God knows what He us doing. There is no searching of His understanding. Isaiah 40:28.
I will close with a favorite verse: However, as it is written: "No eyes has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" First Corinthians 2:9.
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