Bag the Live Ones

About a week ago I met with Joy, a seasoned missionary here in Paraguay, to talk to her about life and my decisions for next year.

I began realizing on my walk to the church to meet with her that a lot of the struggles I’ve been facing here in Paraguay are simply deep spiritual warfare that has tried to discourage me and distract me from my mission here. As I began talking to Joy about this and revealing many of the struggles I’ve been facing and their effect on my life here, she shared a story with me that she said has stuck with her for many years.

Once there was a plantation owner in the South who owned a slave named Sam. Sam was a Christian, but his master was not. Bad things always happened to Sam while his master lived a nice, carefree life. All day Sam would sing praises to the Lord while he worked and one day his master took note of this and came up to him to ask him about it.    

“Sam, why do you always sing praises to your Lord, even though bad things are always happening to you?” 

“I’m not sure, I guess I’ll have to think about that.” said Sam.

A few days later Sam’s master saw some ducks flying overhead and yelled for Sam to come along with him to hunt them. So off they went and they began shooting them down. Killing some while only wounding some others, who started running away. 

Suddenly Sam’s master began yelling, “Bag the live ones! Bag the live ones! Leave the dead ones and bag the live ones, Sam!” and at that moment Sam realized something. 

“Master! Master! I’ve got it! I know why bad things don’t happen to you! You see, I'm a live one. The Devil is afraid I'm going to get away, so he tries to bag me first. But you, Master, are a dead one! He's already got you, he's not worried about you."

Joy told me that because I’m a live one, the devil keeps trying to do all he can to stop me from being successful here. I need to do my best to not let him win. 

I’ve heard people say that the closer to the Lord you are, the more spiritual attacks you may come against because the Devil is really jealous. I’ve definitely experienced that throughout the years and after talking to different missionaries, I've found it’s very common on the mission field as well. Every missionary that leaves the mission field discouraged and defeated is another victory for the enemy, so he tries his hardest to make that happen.

I’m determined not to be one of his victories, but instead I plan to stand firm where I am and claim the victory of Christ. :)