For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV
My dad was a mission-minded man. He didn’t start that way. He joined the U.S. Army because there were no jobs to be had in Pennsylvania coal-mining country. But he was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed, and it started a fire in him. He went to officer’s training and served four more years through the war with distinction. He received a Purple Heart and numerous other medals for valiant service. He was wounded in 11 places about two weeks after he jumped into Normandy on D-Day as a member of the 101st Airborne. He was a patriot, telling the story of our nation’s place in the world, his whole life long. In the retirement years of his life he spoke frequently to schools about the cost and the privilege of freedom. I am on the mission now too. I was so close to my dad. I know his story inside out. His story connected to the bigger story of World War II and the continuing saga of our nation. The bigger story still drives me today to pray and work for our nation to be worthy of the sacrifices made and our calling. I share the story every D-Day, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and every time there’s an open door and need.
His second mission came later but was first in priority for the rest of his life. After the war ended, he fully gave his life to God at a revival meeting in his little country church. Not long after he understood the mission of Jesus Christ to bring the world to Himself and his part in it. He picked up the mission and connected again to a bigger story. This time it was the biggest story of all time – the sweeping story of God’s plan to rescue and redeem His deeply loved creation. Dad spent his life finding his greatest fulfillment in leading people to find their life and purpose in Jesus. He connected them to the biggest story of all time and showed them they had a mission and a purpose too. I was one of the young ones to pick up the mission early. It is the adventure of my life! There’s no retirement in it – it is the joy of my life to connect my children and grandchildren and their friends to the biggest story ever. It amazes me, inspires me, and moves me. There is no greater gift a parent or grandparent can give their children than to invite them to a bigger and better story than anything culture has to offer them. They can follow and serve God and make the ultimate difference in this world.
So, share the story. Amaze them. Inspire them. Move them. Show them real living.
- Though it certainly doesn’t stop there, our first and greatest responsibility and privilege is connecting our families to the greatest story and mission ever conceived. It’s their story. How will you move the process along today?