HAVE YOU EVER ASKED FOR SOMETHING that you realized later that you didn’t know what you were asking for? I know I have. When I was a child, I approached my mom, asking if I could eat cake. She agreed, with one condition. I had to make the cake myself.

“Sure, why not?” I thought.

However, baking that cake for the first time turned out to be far more demanding than I had imagined. Mixing the ingredients, followed by washing dishes, made me wonder if the effort would truly pay off. After nearly two hours, I impatiently waited for the cake to cool down, eager to apply the icing. Finally, as I covered it with frosting, my siblings appeared, each eyeing a slice. After dividing it among them, I was left with a small portion of the cake I had toiled for. It was delicious. But amidst the labor, I found myself questioning: Was it worth it?

Reflecting on the Mark 10:35-45, where James and John posed a request they didn’t entirely comprehend, we find profound meaning behind both the inquiry and its implications for our lives. “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left," they say to Jesus. In a way, James and John were thinking the right concept. They had previously left their lives to follow Jesus, recognizing him as their hope and salvation. We too can be like this. World Mission Sunday gives us pause to see if we also think like James and John. We all have given up something to follow Christ. It may be as simple as giving up our Sunday morning or as grand as giving our life in a ministerial vocation. But amid these sacrifices it is crucial to ask ourselves: What are our true desires behind these actions? Are we seeking glory or recognition akin to James and John? Do we seek the fulfillment of the blessings of being followers of Christ rather than the actual relationship with him? Are we more enamored in the act of living out the mission than fully embracing its purpose?

As baptized Christians, we are equipped to evangelize the world. Mission Sunday serves as a reminder of this.

Christ is quick to remind James, John, and us that being his follower and being his missionary is a challenging feat. We will undergo similar suffering that Christ underwent. The prophet Isaiah talks of the suffering servant—the servant who gives his life as an offering for sin. Jesus challenges us to partake in that servant hood with him. Yet, engaging in this mission requires us to embrace humility.

In return, Jesus doesn’t promise us particular seats of glory. It is not his to give. Nor should we be motivated by these special placements. Humility in conjunction with service can be attained if we ground our motivation in the love we have for God and others. As baptized Christians, we are equipped to evangelize the world. Mission Sunday serves as a reminder of this. We must partake in Christ’s cup and Baptism. Hebrews 4:14-16 reminds us, “Let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” For Jesus is there to support us. We may undergo much, but nothing compares to what he underwent for us. James and John had yet to receive the Holy Spirit when they requested thrones from Jesus. Similarly, our clarity and understanding may not be where it should be if we are not attuned to the Holy Spirit, the aid often overlooked in ministry.

We don’t entirely comprehend what we're asking when we become followers of Christ. But with great joy and fortitude, we go where he calls us. Some of us to the ends of the Earth and others to our schools or offices. Today, let's rejuvenate the love of mission in our lives, not for glory or fleeting fulfillment, but because of our profound love for Christ. Let’s re-invite the Holy Spirit into our lives to better give us zeal and clarity in our mission. Everyone needs a slice of God’s love—the most delicious treat of all—even if it means we have to labor to taste and share it.

  During my childhood summers, my mom would assign me renovation tasks around the house. One summer day, she asked me to paint an old built-in bookcase. Excited, I opened the can of white paint she had set out for me and dipped my paintbrush in.

“Hold on!” My mother called out to me as she entered the room. “You need to scrape and sand the old paint that’s peeling.”

“Why can’t I just paint over it?” I asked, disappointedly putting down the paintbrush.

"The new coat of paint will just peel off after it dries, and if you don't sand the divots, the bookcase will not look nice," my mother explained.

I muttered an "Oh" and picked up the scraper to begin the tedious process of scraping away the old paint. The prep work was not nearly as fun as the actual painting, but it was just as important.

The same principle applies to our lives and embracing the message of Jesus Christ. As repenters and evangelizers, we often try to paint over our brokenness and sin instead of addressing it at a deeper level. We rely on surface-level changes that don't penetrate the core of our being, leaving us feeling stuck and unfulfilled.

If we want to revive ourselves, the church, and the world, we must first use the scraper. This requires identifying and addressing the deeper layers of our brokenness and sin. It may involve confronting our pride, letting go of worldly attachments, or dealing with guilt that we've been avoiding.

To implement this in our lives, we can start by reflecting prayerfully. This will help us identify the areas of our lives where we need to dig deeper and address the root causes of our struggles. We can also seek out guidance and support from our Godly relatives and close friends who can help us identify the areas and hold us accountable. We then need to take action after we identify. We need to attack our issues with virtuous actions.

The process of scraping and sanding will be painful, and there will not be the instant satisfaction of a perfectly transformed person. But it is necessary if we want to experience true and lasting change. As Jesus says in Luke 5:32, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Repentance is not a gloomy experience but rather a joy filled one. By embracing this process of transformation and repentance, we can move beyond surface-level changes and experience a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God and others. Revival comes on the heels of repentance.

 “Who the heck is this guy?” I asked myself as another youtube short video of a bald headed man wearing sunglasses appeared on my phone’s screen. I swiftly scrolled down to skip to the next video. I let out a heavy sigh as the sound of the same man's British accent filled my ears once again. 

 This incident came to my memory a couple of months ago when a teenage boy asked me, “Do you like Andrew Tate?”

 I tried to defog my memory while the kid and the other teenage boys at the cafeteria table eagerly awaited my response. “Hmm, I do know who you are talking about,” I replied, feeling satisfied that I could relate to teens that I was a decade older than. “Andrew Tate says some things I agree with, but he vocalizes many opinions I disagree with. I also do not appreciate the manner in which he voices them.”

 “Andrew Tate is a real man!” One of the boys declares. That kid’s declaration reflects the thoughts of many boys and young men. Andrew Tate's message of pursuing success has captivated a larger audience than just his 4.3 million followers on Twitter. He has become a role model for boys to look up to and a template of a man for women to shake their finger at.

 Is Andrew Tate a real man though? Yes, he is a man. But is he a good man? Andrew Tate is not a godly man and holds little value in Christian principles. I think what attracts so many boys and young men to him is that he motivates us to be successful. In today’s culture, men are socially construed to be lazy and emasculated. Andrew’s message is counter cultural. He says what many men think but dare not to say.

 The fault in Andrew Tate’s message and in his core is where he places his success. Andrew Tate places his success in worldly possessions. Material objects such as Bugattis, yachts, houses and money. These things that will fade and erode. They will also mean nothing when we all die. 

 Perhaps, Andrew’s biggest flaw is that he makes women seem like possessions. He makes it seem like it is an achievement to obtain a beautiful woman. Andrew believes having a bunch of women is a part of being successful. No Andrew, women are not to be conquered or taken for our gratification or status. Rather, the beautiful woman who God may place or has placed in our lives is to be received as a blessed gift. I believe this because my idea of success is not the same as Andrew’s. My goals and aspirations are grounded in Christian principles. 

 I want to be like Jesus. A man who’s earthly success fans greatly from Andrew’s. Jesus had no cars (horses in those days), money, boats, or women. Yet, He had the one thing that mattered. Jesus had the Father’s love and vision. Through that Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead so that we might live forever. 

 Jesus shows every man that we must die to our wants in order to truly gain everything we actually need. Are there any men in your life that exemplify the way Christ lived? Perhaps your Dad, uncle, brother, cousin, co-worker, or a friend comes to your mind. Those people are the real men. Unfortunately, you might only know one or two people like that in your life. It’s the sad state our world is in. It is the reason why so many boys are drawn to Andrew Tate. Andrew provides inspiration in a world that lacks motivators  

 If 4.3 million people can be inspired by him, how many more people would be inflamed by your Godly light. We should not hide our light out of cowardice or laziness. We need to shine our light of truth. We need to be the men boys aspire to be. Men after God’s own heart. Men who sacrifice everything because we know our true treasure lies in Heaven.