Acts 16:9-12

“During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’” vs. 9

When Paul began his missionary journeys he didn’t have an outreach plan or an executive assistant. Guided by the Holy Spirit he flew by the seat of his pants, moving from one city to the next, totally dependent on the hospitality of strangers. Most often he would seek out the synagogues of the Jewish diaspora and proclaim the good news to those who knew the scriptures. Sometimes he was received with joy–often he met resistance. His model is a good one for us. Oh, we’re not called to wander about like college students on spring break, but we should expect that the Spirit of Christ will be with us each day offering spur of the moment mission opportunities along the way. When we can live with a spirit of expectancy we will not be surprised by what we encounter. Some days it leads to real adventure and we do or say things totally outside our comfort zone. Occasionally, as with Paul, the inspirations come to us in meditation or prayer–or even in our dreams. We might surprise folks or get strange looks, and some will be resistant to our words of kindness or acts of empathy, but always we will have the sense of full involvement in the mission of Christ. And ultimately, it really is fun when we get off the sidelines and into the game. It’s a great way to live!

Thought for the Day: What happens when I am spontaneous in my mission?