The Privilege Principle for Missions Senders (3 of 4)
The Privilege Principle: God’s people are privileged either to do God’s work or to help someone else do God’s work. Being involved in the Lord’s work through supporting and sending others is a tremendous privilege.
Ezra 1:5-6 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.
When the call went out for people to go and for people to help, it does not seem that there was alot of pressure or manipulation involved to get people to volunteer. Some rose up to go, and others strengthened their hands with what they had. There was a willingness to offer and an excitement to do a work to the glory of God. Notice this attitude throughout the Bible.
The Philippian church was a great giving church because they loved the Lord and wanted to be involved (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
They were not giving and sending out of duty, out of a grudging heart, or just because of the pressure of the need, but out of a heart full of joy, and love, and grace (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
We often get a bad attitude about doing the Lord’s work, but we forget who we are serving. The King of kings, the Lord of lords is the one who is asking for us to give and to go. What an honor! What a privilege!
May God help us to change our attitude and get excited about serving the Lord. It is an honor and a privilege to go, and it is an honor and privilege to send others.