We all have a particular outlook through which we interpret life. Like a pair of glasses, our perspective alters how we see everything around us, but unlike glasses, most of the time we don’t realize how much it’s actually affecting our perception.

The desire for a happy ending is not inherently a bad thing. It reflects our nature as creatures made by God to hope for glory in heaven. Problems begin to surface, however, when we demand a happy ending right now. This mindset can become even more destructive when applied to mercy ministry, especially on short-term mission trips.

Have you ever done something on a mission trip that, upon looking back, makes you feel sick to your stomach? Sometimes our best intentions result in actions that make us cringe in hindsight. This story is about my blunder.

Instead of resigning ourselves to offending somebody at some point, let’s consider how to show the love of Christ before we enter a new culture. Three primary ways we can do this are by researching cultural values and forms of communication, recognizing the invisible baggage we carry, and respecting the input of locals.

Many Christians are doing their best to make a difference. We know our faith compels us to action, and we’re ready to get to work. But when we read the news, we’re confronted with stories of Christians who got it wrong. They wanted to help, but in their zeal they did more harm than good. The narratives related to charity can be equally confusing, and it’s hard to tell if our gifts are helping or hurting.