Taking a page out of Rick Meigs “Missional Word Images“ from December of  last year, here are ten word pictures that give me a helpful image of what being missional looks like. 

Image One

The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood. – John 1:14 (The Message)

Image Two

Lord make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon.
Where there is doubt, let me sow faith.
Where is despair, let me give hope.
Where there is darkness, let me give light.
Where there is sadness, let me give joy.
Grant that I may not try to be comforted, but to comfort;
not try to be understood, but to understand;
not try to be loved, but to love.
Because it is in giving that we receive,
in forgiving that we are forgiven,
and in dying that we are born to eternal life.
- Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)

Image Three

You are always at work on time and don’t abuse the rules. You go to coffee with your fellow workers, share about life and family, and get acquainted with them. You listen as they share about their family problems and let them know you care and will be praying for them, acknowledging that you have worries and struggles also, but you know God is taking care of you and your family. You invite them over to your place for barbecue with no other agenda than to get better acquainted. As a co-worker inquires about your vacation after talking about their glamorous trip to Aruba, you humbly talk about your trip to Ecuador on a medical missions team. When a co-worker needs to change living arrangements and move to a new apartment, you tell him you have a pickup and offer to help. The boss asks you to do something that has the appearance of being a little unethical, you graciously and politely decline. When your fellow workers get to talking about politics, you allow that you don’t have answers but are willing to be part of the solution. You pray for them regularly and are always ready to talk about the hope that is within you. (This image is taken from Rick’s post.)

Image Four

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me. – Matthew 25:35 (The Message)

Image Five

More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them. – Henri Nouwen

Image Six

Again Jesus said . . . As the Father has sent me,
I am sending you! – John 20:21

Image Seven

Every Monday evening you and your children bake cookies. On Tuesday morning you separate the cookies into three clear zip-lock plastic bags and write a note of thanks for keeping the neighborhood clean on each of the bags. You place the bags and three cans of Pepsi on top of the trash container outside for the three trash men. At Christmas time you buy each of them a gift certificate for their favorite place to eat lunch.

Image Eight

The Lord said to Abram . . . “I will bless you . . . I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.”

Image Nine

You’re down at the local café early for a quiet time with the newspaper over coffee and breakfast. You’re at the counter when the elderly lady next to you attempt to strike up a conversation. You’re annoyed at first until you hear God’s prompting and realize this is a very lonely person. You set aside your paper and enter into a lively conversation with her as she shares about her sons who rarely visit her and how she misses her grandchildren. You volunteer weekly at your local horticultural society where the average member is the exact opposite of you both politically and spiritually. But because you have built bridges and relationship, you can respectfully dialog with them on the issues and they listen. You are asked to volunteer for a Sunday morning actively, but you tactfully decline indicating that you and your family have a wonderful community of faith that you love being involved with and they meet on Sundays. Your drug addicted “baby” sister calls one night desperate. She can’t go on and is thinking of ending her life. You drop what you are doing and drive two hours to pick her up along with her two teenage kids (one of whom has her own two year old child). The four of them move in with your family for eight months. During this time you lead her to a relationship with the Lord. Three years later she is still struggling, but she is also walking with the Lord and growing in her relationship with him.

Image Ten

Then I heard the voice of the Master:
“Whom shall I?
Who will go for us?”
I spoke up, “I’ll go. Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8 (The Message)