How Should a Campus Missionary Live?

1 Tim 4:12 “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, faith, and your purity.”

Having a positive impact for Jesus requires more than good intentions. You must show others what it means to know, love, trust, and obey God.

The first step in living like Jesus is spending time with God. God’s Word inspires faith and gives guidance.

Knowing the Word, however, is not enough; you must also put it into practice. Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” (John 14:15)

True faith requires action. James 1:22 says, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

A campus missionary lives to show people what Jesus is like. Jesus also said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35).

Authentic, godly love is the distinguishing mark of Christ-followers.

1 Corinthians 13 gives a list of traits that characterize a believer’s relationship with others so that people who do not know Jesus get an accurate picture character and His love for them.

God’s greatest commands are to love Him completely and love others selflessly. His “whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” is the kind of love that attracts people to Christ and is a love that puts aside one’s rights in order to benefit others.

A campus missionary lives with integrity. Living an authentic Christian life is not just a matter of outward actions or perceptions.

It involves your inner character and who you are when no one but God is looking. This is particularly relevant regarding issues of honesty, moral purity, things that affect your heart and mind.

Integrity also involves being truthful and reliable. God always keeps his word, and he expects his people to do the same.

We dishonor Christ when we claim to follow him but then lie and break commitments. Be truthful, keep your word, pay bills on time, and do not cut corners school or work.

God honors those who are faithful to their commitments, even when things are more difficult than expected.

As a Christian, your actions and speech should be encouraging, kind, and gracious—worthy of identifying with Jesus. Jesus calls his followers “the salt earth” (Matt 5:13).

Salt enhances flavor, preserves, heals, and creates thirst. Like salt, Christians—by example—should enhance their society by resisting moral corruption, bringing healing to hurting people, and giving others a desire to know God.