What feelings do the words “mission-driven” or “faithfully living out the mission” (力行使命) evoke in you? AI points out that the main reasons believers today find it difficult to live out the mission include the complexity of the social climate, differing understandings of mission within the church, insufficient manpower and resources, and the tendency to fall into dilemmas on certain issues. In the face of “time poverty” and the many “force majeure” factors in life, we inevitably feel powerless, and even speechless.

        Many believers express that they already find it difficult to make time and space to care about other people and matters. Also, because they feel that their witness at work and in life is not good enough, they do not dare to reveal their “true identity” as Christians, let alone share the gospel and lead others to the Lord. Yet, if we think back, from “working folks like us” (「我哋呢班打工仔」) to “work our fingers to the bone” (「做到隻積咁嘅樣」), and then from “enslaved creature” (「奴隸獸」) to “shachiku” or “corporate slave” (「社畜」), it seems that every generation has faced the same challenge of “time poverty.” Strangely, do we not already have smartphones, high-speed internet, and even AI today to help us handle matters more quickly? I still remember that more than thirty years ago, my company generously provided me with a mobile phone, a laptop computer, VPN, and unlimited long-distance call credits, so that I could be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At that time, I had to attend meetings with people on the other side of the world until 2 a.m., and then have meetings with other people on another side at 6 a.m. Each day, I could only sleep for four to five hours, and the pressure was immense. However, those difficult days were also the days when I was closest to God, the days when I most deeply experienced His wondrous care, and the days when I took up the most ministries in church.

        I am reminded of the mission statement of the NPAC family: “To light up our lives with God’s love and live out the practice of ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” The first step in faithfully living out our mission lies in whether we first establish a relationship with God and allow our lives to be renewed, so that God becomes our true boss and the head of our household. In this way, we can avoid the progression of busyness, forgetfulness, and downfall—being busy, forgetting grace, and falling in battle. A brother who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of a multinational bank humbly shared his motto: “Faith must shine for the Lord in the workplace.” Believers will, of course, still experience weakness and commit sin, and we may also fail in our witness in how we deal with people and handle matters. Yet, if we humbly hold on to the love and power of the LORD, do our utmost, and continue to improve and grow, is this not a more human and more beautiful witness of life?

        Jesus once said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former” (Matthew 23:23). To faithfully live out the mission, we must first begin with life itself, and then let it naturally extend into our daily living. At the same time, we must remember to practice justice, mercy and faithfulness in society, because in God’s eyes, these are far more important than offerings alone.

        Come, let us begin with life, live out the mission faithfully, and bear witness for the Lord!