Trouble MakersSample

//Local//

I used to think that if I really wanted God to use me, that it would mean I would have to do something I didn’t want to do. I always had this fear that, if I really trusted God with my future, then He was going to make me a missionary to a place where they eat bugs and they don’t have toilets. I’m not looking down on anyone, but growing up in Southern California with In-N-Out and indoor plumbing, makes you never want to leave.

Maybe God is calling you to go to some far away place so that He can use you to show people the love of Jesus. Maybe He is calling you to sacrifice elements of your physical comfort so that you can do some amazing humanitarian work. Maybe He is stirring a dream in your heart right now of how you can make an impact in this world.

Before you order your passport and book your airfare, I think it’s important to consider another question:

What are you doing to show the people in your world (your friends, family, classmates, and so on) the love of Jesus? Are you willing to sacrifice the comfort of your current social network in order to serve the forgotten people of your community? What if that big dream that God has put in your heart starts with you doing something small, something less noticed, something local?

Many of us want to go and do something big for God, but what if first He is expecting you to stay, and do something small? What if the call of God always begins with local?

I mean, why would God send you to the other side of the earth to tell people about Jesus, if you’re not willing to walk across the room and invite someone to youth group?

Before you think global, think local.

1. REFLECT: Having big dreams is a good thing, but accomplishing big dreams begins with doing small things. What small act of obedience to God have you been avoiding?
2. REACH: Is there someone in your life that you are scared to share Jesus with? Why are you scared to share with them?
3. RESPOND: Pray, “Holy Spirit, use me. Use me right here, right now to do something for Your kingdom.”