A realtor suggested that we remodel our old, broken down bathroom to get our house ready to sell for our move to Papua New Guinea. So Bill, Bob (Katie’s brother) and Barry (a hard-working friend) spent a day tearing out our old vanity, sink, medicine cabinet, and flooring to get to the old subfloor, which was rotting in places.
They put in hours of work to ensure that the base of the bathroom would be sturdy and new. We could have just addressed the surface of our bathroom, replacing only what meets the eye — new cabinet, new vinyl flooring, new mirror. But that wouldn’t have been a lasting change. If the rotten floor was left in place, the “new” bathroom would have been superficial, and the rotting floor would have undermined the whole remodelling process.
Our lives in Christ can be like an old bathroom. We can attend church and call ourselves Christians, but without inner remodelling — tearing away the surface so that Christ can lay a new subfloor — there won’t be lasting change in us.
Missionaries, too, need to get to the heart of the community to introduce Christ, plant a church, and disciple the members of the new church so that the change isn’t just superficial — it’ll last from generation to generation! Is it easy? No! But is it worth the effort? Of course! Is it worth the sacrifices? Definitely.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed; behold, all things have become new.”
Will you join us in reaching these people with no access to the Gospel? Will you pray, toil, and sacrifice with us for the Kingdom?
Margaret Fischer says
Great analogy Bill, hope that others will join you in prayer, support and physical help so that you can go and support missionaries in the tribes. Love you , mom and dad Fischer