Living for the Prayer Letter

        In my meditations lately I have stumbled on a concept, “living for the prayer letter” I call it. It is not a positive thing, in fact, I’d call it a very negative thing. I noticed something happen the other day: I had just witnessed a victory in the life of a dear person we are working with and the first thing I thought to myself was, “Oh great, I can put that in the prayer letter.” My first thought was not, “Glory to God!”, or “Praise the Lord!”, or “I’m so happy for him!” Ultimately, when it boils down to it, living with that mindset is nothing but vainglory.

        Don’t get me wrong…I love to write exciting things in the prayer letter. I also believe that sharing good news from the field can be of great benefit to those who have invested in a missionary family and their work. However, I think sometimes as a missionary your work can slip from serving God to serving the church that sent you and the churches that support you. The work of God is so much more than sharing good news and getting a pat on the back! You can't lose sight of the goal, living for God and desiring to see Him receive glory. Here are a few verses that I want to keep in mind as God allows us to work with people whom He loves and as we report on that work to others:

Galatians 6:14

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

23  Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

1 Corinthians 1:29

That no flesh should glory in his presence.

1 Corinthians 1:31

That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 

1 Corinthians 3:21

Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;