By Tom McCormick
This article is a revised version of the devotional published in ESL Link Volume 2.1.
As September is often a new beginning for many, it may be worthwhile to think again on the most important things, and so refocus our hearts and lives. Summer has hopefully brought refreshment, a change of pace, new challenges and growth, as well as an eagerness to begin again.
Jesus said there are two Great Commandments, so they are definitely important!
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39
If you have been around SOCEM for a while you will know that we encourage worship and nurturing your own personal spiritual vitality as essential foundations for ESL ministry. I am fond of quoting J. Piper’s catchphrase, ‘Missions (like ESL ministry) exists because worship doesn’t; worship is the goal and the fuel of mission;’ that is, missions exists to make our Loving Saviour known, whom to know is eternal life, whom to know is to love and worship and serve Him. Would this not be true for your church, your ESL-team, and you personally? All of that to say: Don’t neglect loving God with all that is within you!
Loving our neighbor is ‘like the first command’, says Jesus. What a wonderful way to frame and focus our care for and service to those who are learning English. You remember the story of the Good Samaritan and the question asked: Who is my neighbor? The answer seems to be anyone who is near and in need. That certainly includes those who come to our ESL classes! But is that all? What about those who don’t come but are near and in need? What about them?
Here is our challenge: The Good Shepherd came to seek and to save the lost. He even left the 99 sheep to look for the one in special need. I wonder how we are doing with the leaving, seeking, finding side of our Christian discipleship. We all know there are many, many who need and even want ESL help but do not come to our classes. I recently met the landlord of a friend who spoke almost no English at all; it was awkward for all of us. I plan to offer ESL in my friend’s living room for him and his family and friends. We shall see. And I’m sure you, like I, also often encounter restaurant workers who speak almost no English and no doubt are surviving in their own culture-language communities, but with little freedom to venture beyond. What might we do for and with them?
Finally, I recently heard of a Pakistani couple who have a ministry reaching Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and anyone else they can! He is a converted Muslim and she comes from a third generation Christian family. They conduct a ‘bus ministry’. They just get on a city transit bus and try to sit next to anyone sitting alone–he with a man, she with a woman. If possible they follow up any contact information they get, and usually then also meet friends or family members. They have had some amazing contacts working this way. They also do ESL. Their Asian friends have asked if they can find a Caucasian to teach them so they can learn Canadian English well, but they cannot find any Caucasians interested in helping . . . nor can they find any churches to support their ministry. An amazing couple, indeed…showing us the heart of the seeking shepherd.
Here is a concluding blessing for you: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word”. And so, being refreshed by His love and comfort, and renewed in hope, may you also be established in every good work & word He has prepared for you these coming days.
“ . . . lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”