Spending almost a year at a mission training center with families who all spent years and years on the field as missionaries, it’s interesting what you learn about their experiences. Both their experiences of these other cultures that are so different and also the expectations that they felt from people back in the states.

As missionaries who were supported by those who were in the states, they often felt like they couldn’t have fun. If they did something that they enjoyed, they felt like they had to hide that from the people who were sending them money. After all, they were supporting them so that they could share the gospel, not have fun, right?

This subject might more appropriately be named “Is it Wrong for Missionaries to Have Fun?” The idea is that there are a lot of double standards out there. Christians are all called to the same mission — to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and give Him glory. If “missionaries” aren’t to have fun, then guess what, that includes you too.

I’ve continued reading the autobiography of Hudson Taylor, a pioneer missionary to China in the 1800s. In most of his story so far, it’s been incredible to see his faith and dependence on God, even when it seems like he’s not going to have any money or he’s going to die due to health problems. He seems so trusting on God.

But as he progresses in his story and his faith journey, he realizes the irony in some of the things he does. A brief description of one of these moments is when he is on his journey to China and he gives away his life jacket because he feels like he isn’t properly trusting God to keep it. But then when the signs of danger come, he gathers some lightweight items to use for flotation. At that point you ask the question, should he have not just depended on God again? Maybe he should just depend on God and not try and swim? God can save him, right?

His story reminds me of a joke I’ve often heard when people talk about faith. Since I’m lazy, I just Googling it and pasting it below:

A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help.

Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.”

The stranded fellow shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.”

So the rowboat went on.

Then a motorboat came by. “The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.”

To this the stranded man said, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

So the motorboat went on.

Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.”

To this the stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.

Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. He went to Heaven. He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed, “I had faith in you but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!”

To this God replied, “I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?”

It’s not wrong to use the things that God has given us in our lives. It’s not wrong to purchase food to survive, so why would it be wrong to purchase some things that will benefit you or your family? Cause you to enjoy life potentially a little more?

Taylor says this:

“The use of means ought not to lessen our faith in God; and our faith in God ought not to hinder our using whatever means He has given us for the accomplishment of His own purposes.”

There is a difference in having faith and God and being bad stewards of the blessings God has put in our life.