What It Takes to be a Beautiful Missionary Woman

What a pretty face she* shows the world.

Make-up? Check. Whitened teeth? Check. Spray tan? Check. Hair styled? Check. Fan turned on so that hair blows in manufactured wind? Check. Coolest jewelry and outfit? Check. "Perfect Pink" nails and matching lipstick? Yes. Ready for her unrealistic podcast? Not quite. Let her get her cue cards propped up behind the computer. Now, she's ready.

Roll 'em. Action.

And, the Unrealistic Missionary Marvel is live. She's gorgeous. She's perfect. She's well spoken. She gleamingly smiles. Her audience is smitten … and deceived. They actually believe missionary life is glamorous. Just look at her! Miss Flawless tells us about her life.

Fakey. Fakey.

And, you know what's sad? That missionary woman will never make it on the mission field. Give her about five years, max. Why? Her values are wrong. Her presentation is slick and glamorous, but her heart is far from the gospel. She forgot her first love and turned it onto herself. She isn't about others. She's the Glam Woman, all about herself.

Flashy, smiley religious people are always thinking about themselves. They enjoy spending money—on themselves—and promoting their own glory.

Is it wrong for a missionary woman to be pretty? Of course not. At twenty-five, we're all pretty. Is it wrong to try to look nice? No, and the outside isn't what this post is about.

Missions is reaching the lost.

Training the saved.

Being persecuted, misunderstood, challenged, and hated—all the while keeping one's eyes on Jesus.

Sticking with a struggling church of new believers as they find their legs—and disappoint you and the Lord many times over.

Evangelizing people that couldn't care less about God—and might not even believe there is a God. Trying different methods in order to reach them.

Learning to love the not-so-pretty people, the druggies, the drunks, the disabled, and the needy. Finding out that the church fills up with saved druggies, former drunks, and needy people, and they still need help and prayer with their addictions and needs.

Missions is stinky. People are difficult.

Saved people will be transformed. They can be trained (if they're willing).

A right heart perspective makes a successful missionary.

Missions is about genuine godliness, not a show. Missions is about heart beauty and strength. Remember the Virtuous Woman? I kinda think she was a missionary. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates (Proverbs 31:20, 25-27, 30-31).

Think about our missionary hero ladies: Mary Slessor, Gladys Aylward, Isobel Kuhn, Amy Carmichael, Darlene Deibler Rose, Betty Stam, and Elisabeth Elliot. What did they say about the missionary woman's heart? Read some of their quotes and be inspired today.

"Lord, the task is impossible for me but not for Thee.

Lead the way and I will follow."  Mary Slessor

"Oh, God, here's my Bible. Here's my money.

Here's me. Use me, God."  Gladys Aylward

"Did you think the missionary path was all glory?

Then you have not read of God's greatest Messenger to earth,

who sat and wept over Jerusalem, crying out,

'I would … but ye would not.'"  Isobel Kuhn

"Strength of my heart, I need not fail,
Not mind to fear but to obey,
With such a Leader, who could quail?
Thou art as Thou wert yesterday.
Strength of my heart, I rest in Thee,
Fulfil Thy purposes through me."
Amy Carmichael

"Evidence not seen—that was what I put my trust in—

not in feelings or moments of ecstasy, 

but in the unchanging Person of Jesus Christ. 

Suddenly I realized I was singing."  Darlene Deibler Rose

"Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes,

all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life.

I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever.

Fill me and seal me with They Holy Spirit.

Use me as Thou wilt. Send me where Thou wilt,

and work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, 

now and forever."  Betty Stam

"The fact that I'm a woman doesn't make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I'm a Christian does make me a different kind of woman." Elisabeth Elliot

May you be that "different kind of woman."

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*In case you're wondering, my Glam Missionary is totally fictitious. I have never known anyone who remotely resembles her.