What does successful missionary work look like? Thousands of souls getting baptized? Demons being cast out of people? Miracles? Churches being planted? No doubt you have a picture in your mind; I know I do. However, I am learning, albeit slowly, that my “picture” doesn’t always align with reality. In fact, it often gets in the way of successful missionary work.

In the day-to-day grind of mission life there are many tasks that need doing—often more than we feel we can do—so we prioritize and plan to maximize our efficiency. We use our “picture” to determine which tasks we will choose to engage in. Certainly it is helpful to have a big-picture overview to put things into perspective and provide guidance when making plans, but the problem occurs when everyone’s “picture” excuses them from the same tasks.

This is seen most readily in a group (work team, family, etc.) where people are working together to accomplish a goal. Our team in Khon Kaen has established a music school to provide a meaningful service to the community. In the past three years we have learned many lessons in teamwork, leadership and service and have seen firsthand the necessity of doing all we can to make the school as good as it can possibly be.

Having no prior background in music or school administration, I have felt that my primary duty lay outside the school. Because of this I have often felt reluctant to take on the inevitable tasks and duties that pop up at the school even if I am capable of performing them. My “picture” has told me that those duties will prevent me from doing other important missionary work.

As our school has grown and more and more people share how it has blessed them, my attitude has changed. I have come to realize that if I can help the school in any way to become more attractive and effective in the community, then I am doing successful missionary work, even if it doesn’t fit my “picture.” This has been a hard lesson to learn, but I find that the more I embrace it, the more joy, peace and inner satisfaction I feel. May the Lord help us all to align our “picture” with His.

“Take up present duty. Do it with a will, with all the heart. You should resolve to do something which will require an effort of the mental as well as the physical powers. Your heart should be in your present labor. The duty now before you is the very work which Heaven wishes you to do. To dream of a work far off, and imagine and plan in regard to the future, will prove unprofitable, and will unfit you for the work, small though it may be, which Heaven now places before you. It should not be your study to do some great work, but to do cheerfully and well the work which you see to do today” (2T p. 429).

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