“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” —Matthew 25:40 NIV
When I speak publicly about the work of MAF, I often use a phrase that captures the heart of what MAF’s ministry is all about: “Demonstration and Proclamation.” And oftentimes, I am asked to explain what that phrase means to me.
Jesus did far more than preach when he walked on the earth. The signs and wonders that accompanied Jesus’ ministry were often miracles born out of a desire to meet people’s physical needs. People were hungry, so Jesus multiplied loaves of bread and fish to feed thousands of these hungry folk. People were ill, so Jesus healed them, enabling them to walk, see or hear. People were out of wine at a party, so Jesus turned water into wine to avoid an embarrassing situation for the party host.
If we truly consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:34-40, we realize that the Gospel is as much demonstrated through the way we live out our faith as it is proclaimed in the way we tell others about Jesus’ death and resurrection. What that means for MAF is that before our people in the field ever share the Good News, they are already living it, breathing it. They show God’s Love to people in isolated parts of the world, before they ever say a word. Airplanes delivering vital goods like food or medical supplies tangibly demonstrate God’s love. Then after MAF pilots and missionaries have developed a trustworthy relationship with the remote people groups they are serving, they have an opportunity to proclaim the Good News—and share it more powerfully.
That’s what “demonstration and proclamation” means to me! That is what MAF is about.
