Part of my career included writing for an evangelical missions magazine about churches that volunteered to assist missionaries overseas. Whether the task was to share the gospel on the street, preach in churches, work in orphanages, conduct religious surveys, or assist with construction projects, the volunteers often worked in physically and spiritually challenging situations.

Volunteers originated from within churches and the people usually paid their own way. They sacrificed vacation days to invest in Kingdom work overseas. The testimony volunteers almost never changed. Consistently they’d say, “I went to be a blessing to others, but I was the one who was blessed.”

Pastors reported that every measurable statistic of church life increased when mission teams returned. People long-prayed for came to faith in Christ. Complete strangers joined their churches. Sunday school and church attendance increased, as well as evangelism, Bible reading, tithes, and offerings.

The basic takeaway, here, is that God blesses obedience. That obedience is rooted in our Lord’s command to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow him. When I look with compassion upon others in need, God always answers my needs. Always.