What can we not leave behind?
The only thing I cannot leave behind is the calling to be a disciple of Christ. Apart from that, I believe I can, in theory, sacrifice everything.
Before I joined OMF’s Serve Asia Worker program (SAW, short-term worker), I had just completed an MPhil degree in mathematics. My friends knew about my plans for the future, and they asked me, “Will all those years of study and all the effort you put into academia become meaningless?” and “Won’t you miss the church you have been attending for almost 20 years?”
Of course, I have had the same thoughts. But I quickly ask myself: Why should I not be willing to leave these things behind?
It is not because I do not cherish them. I do. I love my family, my friends, my habits, my favourite food, and the things I have worked hard for. But we Christians have a bigger goal: to share the love we have received from God with more people who do not yet know him.
From the very beginning of my walk with Christ, I set a goal for myself. I pursued my degree so that I could experience the grace of God and seek his calling. I enjoy the atmosphere of my home church. I love my pastors’ preaching and the fellowship I have there. Therefore, I want to share these experiences with more people who have not yet known or experienced them.
How do we leave things behind?
If we have a clear goal, we can strive toward it wholeheartedly. We can leave some things behind temporarily, trusting that one day we will be reunited with them—whether in heaven or on earth.
But in reality, it is not that simple. We are weak. Sometimes, we are afraid of change. We tend to stay in our comfort zones rather than step outside them.
It seems that I have sacrificed a lot, but I still have many lessons to learn today. I have a new goal: I want to reach out to my neighbourhood and share God’s love with the people around me. Yet the embarrassment in my heart and the worries in my mind often stop me from moving forward.
I am still learning how to leave more things behind—not because they have no value, but because I want to place them in God’s hands.
Behind everything we leave behind is the glory of God. Let us learn to let go, to trust him, and to place in his hands whatever we cannot carry with us.
By Wilson, a Serve Asia Worker
