It’s so tempting to say, “Oh yeah, I’m totally on the mission path. Doing it! Things are going great.” And for some of us that may be true. But it’s important to remember that a solid foundation is the KEY to never have your work fail. Even when you feel the call of mission and feel that you’re on that path, you still need the 7 Laws of Life Mission to stay solid and keep growing.
Full Transcript
Many times when people talk about life mission there’s a couple ways that they respond. If they really believe in life mission, then they usually have one of two responses. One is: well it’s sounds too hard and scary. I talked about that in my previous post “Life Mission Is Scary!” This time I want to address the second issue that people have when they know mission is real but they’re really not getting on board. They won’t go through the laws and live them like they should because they think that they don’t really need to. Their response goes something like, “Oh, I totally got that. Yeah, I am totally on the mission path. Doing it. Things are going great.”
Now I want to issue a word of warning here, because if you’ve read The Mission Driven Life then you know some really serious concerns I have about this. In chapter 1, I tell the Greg Mortenson story. I explain that my family was entranced by The Three Cups of Tea and I bought tickets so that we could go hear him speak. I took my kids (they had their own copies of the book) to the book signing. We talked to him and were so enamored with him. Within a couple years it all came out that he had lied–he had exaggerated the story. The story didn’t really happen like he portrayed it in the book. He hadn’t built nearly as many schools as he claimed to have built. He hadn’t visited Nepal as many times as he said he had. The school weren’t really all filled with children. He had used money that was supposed to be for the kids, and put some of it in his own bank account.
Another story that reminds me of moms who say that they’ve already got life mission covered is the story of Somaly Mam. She did incredible work to help girls who were being sex trafficked and prostituted. Her work even brought her into celebrity status. She raised millions of dollars for these girl but she actually lied about her own past! When they went back into the villages where she grew up and talked to all the people that she knew, it became clear she had made up lots of stories about her past–how she herself was sex-trafficked. Unfortunately, not only did she lie, but she had other girls lie about their experiences. She even lost her marriage over it.
But honestly, they’re not bad guys. These are people that are doing really good things in the world. I think they’re good people. I think they have really good intentions. I think that they want to do good. I think they really care. I think Greg Mortenson cares about those kids. I think Somaly Mam cares about her girls. It’s not that they’re evil, it’s just that they’re not prepared!
But when the fame comes or when things aren’t going as quickly as they want them to go, they cut corners and they decide that they don’t have to actually tell the whole truth. Maybe other people give them those ideas, maybe the temptation of more fame or a best-selling book or the money is a temptation to them. And why? Because they don’t have a strong foundation. They don’t have a solid relationship with God. They don’t have the character that they need to have. They don’t have commitment to the principles that they should have. They’re driven, they’re achievers, they’re hardworking and they’re willing to do really great things in the world but they cut corners and things come crashing down. You know, those two organizations are pretty much shut down now. No good can be done of all that they spent their lives creating because they ruined it through not being prepared and not living the first 4 Laws of Life Mission.
To the people who say, “I don’t really need the book. I don’t really need the group. I don’t really need a system or help.” I say,”Maybe you don’t. Maybe you’re already living the 4 Foundational Laws of Life Mission and you’ve already arrived and you’re ready to go. But maybe you do.”
I, myself, have started and stopped multiple projects. Now, they were good experiences for me. I learned things by them but on several occasions I couldn’t keep going. Why? Because my house wasn’t all the way in order yet. I had to go back and fix some things because I wasn’t prepared. I did some good. I learned some things but I couldn’t be consistent with that work because I just wasn’t ready.
My challenge to you is to really do a heartfelt evaluation of yourself and of your life. Look closely at your health, look closely at your faith, look closely at your character, look closely at your commitment to true principles, your marriage and especially your personal education. There are a lot of people that never make it as far as someone like Greg Mortenson made it because they didn’t have the education they needed. Don’t be too quick to say, “I love mission. I’m all about it. I’m on the mission path. I’m good to go.”
Be careful about assuming that you don’t need the 4 Laws or that you’re completely and thoroughly prepared.
Remember also, when I talked about Willem in the book. He a call to become a pastor. He works hard to get his degree and started. He’s doing incredible things and yet his faith really starts to waiver. He’s got to go back to those foundational laws. So, even if it’s true and you are on the mission path, that you really are committed to principles and you have a pretty dang good education, make sure to go back to your foundation again. Strengthen it. Make that a lifelong journey and then continue to answer the calls when they come. But don’t be too quick to say, “I’ve arrived. I’m there. I don’t need that stuff anymore.”
Remember, The Mission Driven Life book and the 7 Laws of Life Mission are there to help you. The Mission Driven Mom Mastermind Facebook Group is there to help you. They are free resources that will help get you on the path and help you see where you really are and what you really need to work on next. We’re a community to offer support and do all we can for you.
Look inside. That’s my challenge. Really evaluate, be honest, use the book, use the group, use those tools to keep working towards mission and don’t be one of those people that say “That’s not for me.” Because it is for you. God has a work for you. He has a call for you and if you’ll prepare yourself, you’ll hear that call.