Embrace Your Assignment

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

─ Acts 20:24 NLT

William Cameron Townsend, a missionary, went to Guatemala in 1917 to sell Spanish Bibles. He assumed the people could read and understand Spanish, but was shocked to find they spoke Cakchiquel, a language without a Bible. Compelled by his belief that everyone should understand the Bible, Townsend began the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) that trained others to translate the Bible.

As his work grew, as he worked to tell others the Good News, Townsend founded Wycliffe Bible Translators and completed the first translation of the Bible in 1951. Since then, more than 500 languages have been translated to give people the Bible in their own language.

Perhaps Townsend, like Paul, considered his life worthless unless he used it to complete the work God had assigned to him. And even though their deliveries were different, they both embraced their assignments in different ways. While Paul preached the Good News, Townsend shared it through translating scripture into the language his audience could best understand – their first language.

You too have an assignment from God. Your most important goal is to tell others about Christ. You may not teach, preach or translate the Bible, but God has given you a voice that speaks His love to the audiences you influence.

Today’s One Thing

Think about how you embrace your God-given assignment. In what ways do you speak love to others to demonstrate God’s Good News? Share the gospel today in some way with those who God brings across your path. Start by being generous with your words of encouragement, support for someone during a tough time, giving time, energy or money.

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