Living Missionally
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. — John 13:35
When you hear the phrase “living missionally," what comes to mind? Maybe you picture far-off lands, foreign languages, and sacrificial service in hard places. But what if living missionally isn’t just about hopping on a plane and heading overseas? What if it’s more about how we live wherever we are, in the places we spend most of our time and energy? What if living missionally is really about the unique call God has placed on our lives and becoming the hands and feet of Christ right where we are?
Jesus gives us a powerful picture of this in John 13. In a world where leaders were served rather than serving, Jesus flipped the script when He knelt and washed His disciples' feet—a job normally reserved for the lowest of the low. This was a radical display of service and understanding His mission. Jesus knew from the beginning that His mission was twofold:
(1) To sacrifice Himself so that all who believed in Him would have a renewed relationship with God now and forever in Heaven.
(2) Be our example of what it means to love God and others.
Even knowing what was about to happen at the cross, He remained committed to this mission. And here’s the kicker: He didn’t just wash Matthew's feet or John’s; He washed Judas’ feet too—the very man who would betray Him and set into motion His brutal death.
If that doesn’t hit home on what it means to serve others or live missionally, I’m not sure what does. Jesus knew exactly what Judas was going to do, yet He still served him with the same love as He did when serving the others. And let’s not forget Peter, the one who swore he’d never leave Jesus—only to deny Him not once, not twice, but three times. Jesus washed his feet as well.
At its heart, living missionally means choosing self-sacrifice, something we’re willing to do because we know we’re called to make a difference. It’s about daily setting aside our own desires and comforts. As we live in a world that constantly tells us, "Do more, be more, and get more to make your life easier, more recognized, more successful," Jesus invites us to a different way of living where we notice the needs around us and act—even when we’re unseen and un-thanked. As Greg Ogden puts it: "Servants (those living missionally) are not self-absorbed, but others absorbed."
So, how do we live missionally like Jesus and become "others absorbed"? It starts with a few reflective questions: Are we willing to die to ourselves daily? Are we willing to “wash the feet” of those around us, even if they might hurt, overlook, or even betray us? Are we prepared to look beyond our own needs and comforts and choose to serve, embodying the love of Christ in every action?
The reality is, that living missionally isn’t easy. It requires us to make the conscious choice, multiple times a day, to set aside our desires for the sake of others. And we won’t always get it right. We will have days when we fall short, choosing comfort over compassion, self-interest over sacrifice, and sin over the way of Jesus. But here’s the hope: God’s grace meets us even in those moments of failure. His mercies are new every morning, inviting us to rise, try again, and continue to grow into the people He calls us to be.
The world is watching. It’s by our love for one another and our willingness to live out our mission in the everyday that people—whether family, friends, or strangers—will see that we are His disciples. Just as living missionally doesn’t always mean going to distant places, it often means stepping into the opportunities right in front of us.
So, let’s take up the “towel and basin,” just as Jesus did, and commit to living missionally by opening our eyes, hearts, and hands to the needs around us. Let’s choose to love and serve others as He has loved and served us.
Even when it’s hard, unnoticed, or when we feel we’re running on empty, remember: the same grace that empowers us to serve is the grace that sustains us. And in choosing to live this way, we reflect the heart of Christ and make His love known in a world longing for hope and authenticity. Living missionally starts here, with us, in the everyday moments that shape lives and point others to Jesus.