Who else are our neighbours if not those closest to us and yet many Christians are far away from the world to which God made them neighbours. They are close yet their hearts are far away. But why dream of building castles in distant lands when you cannot lay a brick where your foot stands? Why think of raising the dead in other lands when you can barely raise your dying fellowship with your Maker? As Socrates will say "Let him that would move the world first move himself".
Many often think of having mega crusades in Europe, Asia and other nations of the world but not their own. Others, whose visions of exploits in other lands are blurred by financial constraints or lack of resources settle in neighboring countries or other parts of their continent but never their own homeland. Why?
In the Master's great commission, He admonished that they who will follow him will be "...witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. Sadly many have reversed the order by putting the last first and the first last. But this is the order;
In Jerusalem- Jerusalem, the land where the initial audience of the great commission were situated. Jerusalem is you! It was Edmund Hillary who said that "It's not the mountains we conquer but ourselves". Dare you conquer other lands when you've not conquered yourself? As the Apostle Paul would rightly say, so let your reply be "I bring my body into subjection so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be a castaway"!
In all Judea- You cannot look at the rivers beyond the forest if you are not getting past the individual trees. And as you get past the individual trees which represents your family and friends, your Samaria, remember to say a word of pray for them as well as pay them a compliment. For one day these trees will provide shade for your sons and daughters-to-be.
In Samaria- Samaria refers to neighbouring towns, cities and nations around us that are unreached yet we often overlook. Leonard Ravenhill once remarked that "Christians of today are always thinking of what they'll do at the other side of the world and forget the other side of the street". How true! Are you so focused on what you'll do once you travel abroad that you forget the very community that nurtured you and land of your birth? You may become a doctor in the future as you desired but till then you are a baby now, a student of life and school. Never miss today for a tomorrow that'll elude you. Be wise! Before you can ever crawl out of your community and climb the ladder to distant lands, remember the school, city and nation that once held the ladder so you can climb up. Don't fall prey to ingratitude!
To the ends of the earth- This is your target, your ultimate goal. Is it Heaven? Then I say to you; "Don't be so focused on Heaven that you forget you are still on earth. You will get to Heaven one day and live eternally there but until then live on earth! Let the earth know you were here". Is it to have mega crusades and lift up thousands of souls to God? Then this I command thee; "Go with all your heart and might as the Holy Spirit leads you on. Leave no stone unturned till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed!".
God bless you