Increasing Our Passion for Reaching the Lost while Teaching Preschoolers
“Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.”
—1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NIV)
On a tour of the WMU building, you will see a doll from Korea, a wood carving of a gaucho from Argentina, woven fabric from Nigeria, beaded moccasins from South Dakota, and an embroidered tapestry from China.
These are just a few of the artifacts that are on display at WMU. Many of the items were given by missionaries serving in North America and around the world.
As one of the tour guides, I take people around the building to show the many pieces on display. Some objects are beautiful, others are unusual, but all are interesting. Each piece has a story behind it.
When I lead tour groups, I am careful to preface each tour by saying that the objects are not just pretty things for us to show. The objects are reminders of the people in these places who need to come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. These are to be prayer prompts for us to pray for the lost to hear the gospel and accept Jesus into their lives. Our passion is not about the objects themselves, but for the lost in those places to know Christ.
Connie Dixon, national WMU president, wrote, “There is joy in knowing we have thousands of dedicated missionaries around the world and thousands more in the US sharing Jesus with the lost.”
Each month as we lead Mission Friends, we learn about a missionary or missionary family and how they share the gospel with the lost. May God work through the activities and stories we teach in Mission Friends to increase our own passion for the lost. May we respond by praying and giving to missions, and also by sharing Christ with the lost around us.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, What joy to have a part in making disciples of Jesus by teaching Mission Friends. Thank You for missionaries David and Sara Gaskins, whom our Mission Friends are learning about in January. As we teach preschoolers about missionaries each month, we also ask that You work in our own hearts to have a passion for the lost to know You and Your love. Open our eyes to those around us who need Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Joye Smith is the WMU preschool ministry consultant.
