Recently, my pastor preached a series of sermons based upon the Great Commission. Jesus told his disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20). During one of the sermons, my mind wandered (does your mind ever drift during a sermon?) to the seasons in my life where I set out to “go and make disciples of all nations.”
I wondered back to when I was a mother of a young family. I remember thinking, How I could make a difference in this world for Christ? I doubted that I could “go.” While my mind was strolling through my past, I discovered that I that I had taught new disciples many more times in my life than I ever imagined possible.
Raising our children for the Lord is our most important job on earth. As a stay-at-home mom with young kids, I taught them about God through my actions and words. As children grow into adults, they can go forth and fulfill the Great Commission.
For a decade, I taught swim lessons in my pool. Before I taught each lesson, I asked all the kids to hold hands as we prayed, and asked God to help them learn how to swim. When I stepped up to become the leader of a mom’s group, I taught other mothers the Word of God with Bible studies. As I taught Sunday school to second- and third-graders, these children learned about Jesus.
As our children grew, my husband and I became youth chaperones and members of our church’s youth council. We served to positively influence the youth and teach them about the Lord. We enjoyed serving together as chaperones for youth retreats. I continued to mentor a few of these young ladies who grew to become adults and parents themselves. It is satisfying to watch them go forth and raise their offspring for the Lord.
As a youth retreat nurse, I bandaged teenagers’ physical and emotional wounds with Jesus’s love. The opportunity to speak at high schools regarding sexual abstinence allowed students to learn about staying pure physically. I could not share my faith in public schools but could share God’s values to honor your body.
During mission trips to Ecuador, I loved on those sweet, deprived, but happy, kids with God’s love. I even taught myself Spanish so I could teach them about Jesus. Our family (including our three kids) went on five mission trips to Ecuador. Our daughters gained humility and loved on those kids until their own hearts burst. Through Compassion International, we sowed the seeds of the Great Commission by writing to our three sponsored children from Ecuador. Our whole family took turns writing to them.
As a speaker, I sprinkled my faith in my speeches. I instructed my health and wellness coaching clients to choose a Bible verse to use as they made lifestyle changes. As an author, I wrote about accessing God’s power to make healthy living changes. I developed and spoke theme- based Bible verses when teaching weekly Scripture Yoga™ classes. Each week, my students bathed in the Word of God.
Cycles like mine continue when you become a grandparent. Reading Bible stories and telling grandchildren about the Lord starts the process of growing disciples all over again. We influence our grandchildren through what we say and do. They are always watching.
As my mind returned from its stroll through my past, I was surprised at how I had influenced others for the Lord during the seasons of my life. Have you fulfilled Jesus’s Great Commission during the different periods of your life? Jesus told us to “go and make disciples of all nations” because He desires that we help lead unbelievers to become His disciples. You are never too old nor too young to “go!” {eoa}
Susan U. Neal‘s mission is to improve the health of the body of Christ. She has her RN and MBA degrees, as well as a master’s in health science. She is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach with the American Association of Christian Counselors. She published six books, 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates, a Selah award winner; Healthy Living Journal, Christian Study Guide for 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates, Scripture Yoga, a No. 1 Amazon best-selling yoga book and Healthy Living Series: 3 Books in 1. To learn more, visit SusanUNeal.com.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.