Last week I chanced upon a testimonial given by Janice and Sonia Lee.
If you’ve never heard of them, they’re a pair of Korean Australian twins who have become big youtube sensations especially in South East Asia.
I like them because they’re good singers/musicians, seem friendly and down to earth, are Christian and okay, also because they’re Asian. Call me biased but I think the world needs more Asian female musicians, so of course when I find a couple, I’m all for it. *winks*
But what struck me with their story was not so much their music, but rather hearing about their mother, her 7 year battle with breast cancer, and the impact she had on her daughters’ lives on what it means to follow and love Jesus in any and every circumstance.
Despite her illness, the pain, the medications and everything else, their mother would still go out into the streets and approach strangers, saying:
“Hi I’m a cancer patient, and I have not long to live. But I’m not afraid of death because I have hope in Jesus Christ. Can I please share that with you today?”
Living Like There’s No Tomorrow
Our time in this world is not a guarantee. We like to dream about growing up, getting a degree, a good job, marrying, having a family and living a full, productive life till we’re old and gray. But as I learned 3 years ago, things can change in an instant.
Being diagnosed with a kidney disease was and will probably always be one of the lowest points of my life. But the flip side is that it made me bolder than ever when it comes to sharing my faith, and it was during some of my weakest moments that I found God using me to lead others to Christ.
It also made it remarkably clear to me that when it comes to sharing Christ, we should seize every opportunity we can get. Because the truth is we don’t know how much time we have, and the last thing I’m sure any of us want to do is waste it.
On Mission Everyday
School’s back in session again here at The University of Texas at Austin. The hustle and bustle of a campus filled with 50,000 students is incredible.
At Campus Renewal, along with many other campus ministries, we’ve got a large number of students returning from summer missions trips.
But while all those trips are great, my hope is that their mission continues with them everyday. The truth is, a college campus is possibly one of the biggest mission fields students will ever be a part of on a daily basis over a long term period, and with that, comes the opportunity to share Jesus at just about every corner.
We must understand that when it comes to mission, Jesus had it right when it told us to start with our city, then the nation, then the world. (Acts 1:8) After all, why go to someone halfway around the world if we won’t reach out to the person right next to us?
You Are Called To Represent
My point with this article today is this: you are called to represent. Not tomorrow, not next week, not when you feel better prepared or have a “better testimony,” but right NOW. As you begin a new semester with new classes or a new job, or both, the people you’re meant to reach are already in your pathway.
And the reality is, you don’t need a “better testimony.” Going through a severe long term illness like I have, or the twin’s mother did might seem more compelling but you don’t need it. Jesus is all you need and I firmly believe that if you trust in God as you step out in faith to share your life with someone else, He’ll move and you’ll be amazed.
Janice and Sonia’s mother went to be with the Lord in December 2002, but her legacy lives on. Even now, the twins still sometimes get approached by people in their church, not because of their music, but to say thanks to the daughters of a woman who is the reason they are in church today. All because she chose to be missional with whatever time she had left.
So this week, as you continue on with your classes, friends and life, ask yourself this: Where have I been placed? And what can I do to make sure I’m living on mission today and everyday?
Kimberly Chung is the National Media Director for Campus Renewal Ministries, a ministry focused on forging partnerships in prayer to build missional communities that transform college campuses with the gospel of Jesus. She is a campus minister to The University of Texas at Austin and can be reached at kim@campusrenewal.org
