When my parents came to visit me in 2017, my father made two requests.
- Boil my drinking water (the water here is drinkable, but it gives me stomach problems)
- And wear a hat because I’m bald
Since then people almost always see me wearing a hat. It’s gotten to the point where if I’m not wearing it, people will ask “where is your hat?”.
Wearing the hat has become part of my identity
And not just a hat….
but a sweat stained hat.
The sun here is hot year-round, and I sweat heavily. So, it isn’t uncommon to see me mid-morning wearing a shirt covered with sweat. Part of me would like to look more professional (often wear three separate shirts a day) but the sweat is also a badge of honor in a way.
Because that sweat comes by going to people with the Gospel and ministry instead of expecting them to come to me.
Ministry is hard work!
It is a hard spiritual work obviously as you battle Satan and sin in the power of Christ. It’s also hard work emotionally since the fruit doesn’t always come when you want it to, and God’s work is sometimes discouraging.
But it is also hard work physically that involves going back out into the hot sun (and lots of hills) to reach people for Christ.
There are days when it would be tempting to stay at home with my cool fan running, and a big glass of water beside me. Or to sit on my porch in the cool shade. But the Lord gives me the grace and strength to go back out into the sun.
Because the work is worth it!
The truth is ministry must be incarnational. By that I mean just like Jesus came to us, we must go to those in need instead of expecting them to come to us. In a perfect world they would come to church on their own, but we don’t live in a perfect world.
We live in a world filled with darkness and sin.
and people who have been deceived by Satan.
So we must bring the light of Gospel into the darkness, and reveal to them the glorious, good news of Salvation. And that often means sweat-soaked clothes.
Ministry is hard work friends….but it is worth it.
So, we put on a dry shirt
grab our beloved sweat-stained hat
and go back out into the heat.
Johnhwilburn.com 
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