thoughts from a missionary in a country of small  | kapsule

 2007/2/12

Yamazaki bread company is airing a new television commercial: “Bread – now in a happier size.” What’s a “happier size?” Three slices, instead of the normal 6 per loaf! That’s right; the happy news is that now you don’t have to buy 6 slices at one time; you can now buy 3 slices at a time!

When is the last time you saw 3-slices of bread being sold in North America! Some things are just different here in Japan.

We’re reminded of the Haagen-Dazs ice-cream commercial a few years back. “Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars – just got smaller!” How’s that for a commercial slogan!

From 3-slice loaves of bread to tiny bonsai trees which take 50 years to reach their 12-inch height (and $12,000 price), mini-cars, mini-cds and tiny cell-phones, Japan is the land of small.

What does that have to do with us making disciples of Christ in Japan? I am not sure yet, but I’m thinking.

Churches average 30 members. Half-of-one percent of Japanese are active believers. The church is small, and like the bonsai tree, its growth seems painfully slow.

When it comes to obeying the Great Commission, who of us wants to be involved in something “small?” Wouldn’t we all love to be working in the lands which are now experiencing great harvests? When we read of missionaries in some foreign land leading 30 or 100 people to Christ over the weekend, don’t our hearts ache to be part of that?

And yet, if we look at history, we know that many lands take years of tilling and planting before something really big happens and the church explodes. If the early missionaries and Christians had given up and written those lands off, many of our “showcase” mission fields would be without believers today. But, those chosen to live in the generation of sowing were faithful to their calling – like those in Hebrews 11, many dying without having seen the promise fulfilled, but yet trusting in HIM who made the promise.

When I read Hebrews 11, I think of my Japanese brothers and sisters who continue faithfully, against great odds, in prayer and witness. Many of them have prayed for 30 or 40 years for even one in their family to come to Christ – and they continue, trusting that GOD is faithful.

I guess maybe that is the bottom line – isn’t it? Not only are we called to obey the Great Commission, but foremost, to Obey the Great Commissioner. God has clearly called us and our fellow JAM missionaries to Japan, and he has placed our Japanese brothers and sisters in this land.

May each of us be faithful to the calling of the Great Commissioner – wherever He leads.