Is My Wallet Really the Answer?

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make diciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." -Matt. 28:18-20

This passage taken from the Gospel of Matthew is commonly referred to as the Great Commission. Christians today use this passage to support short-term missions, door-to-door ministry, and even as a call to promote Christianity in sects of the world that are commonly known as "secular" or of a different religion altogether. While all of these are great callings, I believe that we, as followers of Jesus Christ, have missed part of the point entirely. To give an example: In one of our college's chapel services, the student body as a whole presented the city of Marion, Indiana with a check for an unnamed amount of money to go towards victims of recent flooding. The mayor was on-hand to receive the check and thanked the students and the school, telling us that we are "a blessing to the community." While we all smiled and felt warm inside for that moment, I began to fell as though something was wrong. Not only did the mayor's acceptance speech seem rehearsed and unemotional, I also saw in my fellow students a sense of the fact that their part was done. We "blessed" Marion with cash. My wallet came to the rescue. Now, I give to charities, and I even do my part for Compassion International, so why I feel so unfulfilled in this short exchange during chapel? I believe the answer to that question lies in God's Word.

Jesus called his disciples to "go and make diciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." This call involved personal, hands-on relation to the people of those nations. Think about it. Beginning with making disciples, Jesus had to personally hand pick each of his disciples, maintain a close relationship in thier lives, constantly teach them the ways of the faith, and put up with their short-comings, disbelief, and (for one of them) betrayal. Can my $10 really make a disciple somewhere? we might argue that it will help someone else make a disciple, but that's not what Jesus said. He didn't say "go and begin programs so that other Christians might send you money and further your ministry." In fact, the entire idea of making disciples is to continue this personal process! Jesus had twelve close disciples, who went out and made other disciples, and the line goes on. Let's look at "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Baptism is hands-on. It requires one to physically dunk, pour water of the head, spray, whatever your tradition states is the "proper" way to baptize. Can the money in my wallet physically baptize someone? And do I really want my money to be the first thing a new believer sees as he/she steps out and is welcomed into new life as a Christian? No! Now, I realize that I am stating this in a way that seems to make a mockery of an kind of organization of this kind. I'm not. I'm sorry if I have come off this way. What I am saying is that money can help a ministry, or an organization. Money can go to regions of the world we can't. Money can buy much needed items I can't make. But am I sending my weekly check and thinking I've done my part? Is that it? Is my Great Commission to empty my wallet so that a box of medical supplies can be sent to Africa? Well, yes. But not entirely. If that's it, we've got it easy, brothers and sisters. If my entire reason for sending that check, or to fast for one day is to get myself off of the hook, and cross an item off of my "to-do list", then I have a lot to answer for.

How about this? Instead of presenting the mayor of Marion with a weekly check, what about 100 students go into the community and actually spend time with the people, learning about them, their hurts, needs, and minister to that. I warn you, it will take more effort, more time, and maybe, just maybe, some of us will get hurt. But, we can actually baptize, make disciples, and teach the ways of the faith. Instead of my money being the sacrifice, what about my life? I think that's our Great Commission. I think that's what we are sometimes afraid to face and satnd up to.