A changed attitude has developed on the part of altogether too many in recent years toward foreign mission service—a reluctance on the part of not a few to respond to a call from the Mission Board, and a reluctance on the part of local leaders toward releasing successful workers for overseas service. The argument is often advanced that a worker jeopardizes his future by responding. It is claimed that one does not have the same opportunity to advance in a mission field, and is handicapped if and when he returns to the home base. He will find himself out of step with the procession that has moved on, and falls so far behind that he is difficult to place.
But is this true? In the first place the calls are so pressing and the needs so great in our divisional fields that, granting equal ability, one usually advances more rapidly in responsibility in overseas service. Secondly, truly successful, able missionaries have no difficulty in being placed when they return to the home base. The ones who cause concern are those who have failed to grow and advance normally overseas, who are troublemakers, or apathetic, or forceless, or without leadership.
Be it remembered that there are similar workers in the home bases who are problems and who are retained with reluctance. In the ultimate everything depends upon the individual. If he is the alert, friendly, growing type, whose abilities grow with service and expand and strengthen under the load, he will be wanted anywhere. A man's talents will assuredly make a way for him.
Forget not that the leaders of this movement have nearly all seen successful foreign service.
That is often where and why they developed their leadership. There is nothing that so broadens one's vision, brings out his latent talents, and develops forceful leadership, as foreign service. It provides a personal conviction and concept of our world task that cannot be obtained in any other way. It enlarges our love for humanity and our appreciation of the peoples of other lands and nationalities. It balances our judgment and puts our talents to the stretch. It increases a man's fitness for effective home base service in a world work, whether in administrative, ministerial, editorial, educational, medical, departmental, or other lines. Look over the roster of our leading workers and see if this is not so.
There is yet another aspect that is more important still, and that is to be in the place in which God wants us to be. That should be the supreme burden of every worker's heart—to find and follow the will of God for us individually. If we will only let Him, He will lead our minds and those of the brethren. He will indicate the post of service He has chosen for us each step of the way. Woe to the one who runs away from the call of God, and woe to the one who selfishly seeks to hold men whom God is calling elsewhere.
There are opportunities for every talent of every worker, either in overseas service or in the homeland. What is needed is a fully consecrated heart, an alert mind, a sanctified ambition to excel, an amenability to counsel, a willingness to profit by mistakes and avoid their repetition.
Most fundamental of all is the desire of the yielded life to be found in the place of God's appointment. It is to be supremely happy in the line and place of service clearly indicated by God through the brethren. This is basic in all considerations.
Are we seeking our own advantage and advancement, or are we seeking the greatest opportunity to serve, and the place of the greatest need? Is our own ambition to advance personally, or is it to render our best and our most to the cause we serve? Is it to be ministered unto, or to minister? Any place of service in the line of God's appointment is an inestimable privilege and honor to be sought by every worker. This is a world movement. Our task will not be finished in America until it is finished overseas. Every man, then, to his appointed post.
L. E. F.
