Love people, not projects

A blogging missionary recently wrote:

People aren’t meant to be projects.

Even people who have a desperate need, even people who are achingly afraid, even people who are longing for a Savior will feel the sting of loneliness that comes with being turned into a project for the sake of missions.

Nobody wants to be your project… but everybody wants to be your friend.

Ok, fine, maybe not everybody wants to be your BFF. There are plenty of people I plain old don’t like and don’t want to be friends with. I think that’s allowed. But, the point is, most people would prefer your friendship to your “evangelism”. Of course, friendship requires a lot more of you. Friendship must be nurtured. Friendship must be mutual and reciprocal. Friendship needs time and effort and, eventually, the sort of transparency that allows people not to see through you, but to see Jesus in you.

It’s a lot harder to make someone your friend than to turn them into your project. But, I’ll tell you the truth, if you know how to be a good friend, then you’re more missionary than a lot of missionaries. 

Love people, not projects.

A missionary recently told me that the organization he worked for will never have large sums of dollars flowing into their projects, because they will not exploit the people they are serving. I'm proud to say, this guy works with me! We don't view people here as charity cases or "projects". We are serving along side amazing talented people, building friendships, and showing the love of Jesus.

I get to love on people for a job.