As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him. -Matthew 9:9

Henry Ford once said, “I’m looking for people with an infinite capacity for not knowing what can’t be done.” It was in that spirit that Henry Ford built a company that is still successful today. It was that pioneer spirit that embraces change even when change can be unsettling.

When Jesus walked up to Matthew and asked him to follow him, it had to be unsettling to the crowd around him. You see tax collectors weren’t the most honorable and distinguished citizens of the day. Many times they were corrupt and criminal, and yet Jesus stopped and called him.

One aspect of being missional is not simply seeing things the way they are, but envisioning what they could be. Jesus didn’t ask Matthew to change before he would be his friend, he met him right where he was and, if you read on, the next place they went was to Matthew’s house so that Jesus could meet his friends.

The religious people of that day judged both Matthew and Jesus on the basis of what they saw. Jesus was more interested in what they would become. Matthew went on to become a martyr and a pioneer of the faith. All because he was willing to risk change and follow God.

We will make it our mission to simply meet people where they are and help them see what life could be like if they trusted and were willing to follow Jesus. Encouraging them to take it one step and one day at a time.

There is a fine line between being an influencer and being influenced. The key to walking that line is being accountable and available. Letting the Holy Spirit of God lead you in not simply seeing the way things are but what they could be. Ask God to turn you into a pioneer and to have the heart that says anything can be done through Christ.

Remember, being a pioneer is both exciting and fearful. The willingness to not just walk the path but to cut the path requires incredible faith and resilience. This is what wakes me up every morning. The idea that we get the privilege to walk the path that God lays before us but sometimes we also have the opportunity to cut a new path as well!