Hidden Heroes

Sunday 3-30-15 (Martinez, Argentina)

Scripture reading:    Judges 8     Ps 42      1 Cor 15

S.   1 Cor 15:58  So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.  NLT

O.  The Apostle Paul connects our enthusiasm and faithfulness to our service in the Lord’s work to our assurance of a resurrection of eternal life with Christ.  This must remain fresh in our hearts.  We serve and serve again.  We may see wonderful, mighty results, feeble results… or even no visible results at all, but in all cases we carry on knowing that “nothing we do for the Lord is ever useless.” 

A.  We once visited a “New Tribes” missionary living with a primitive tribe on an island in Paraguay.  Among all other things they had done, they had started a school, hoping to break the hold of ancient evil customs by raising a new generation with Christian values.  This missionary family was very encouraged because after 6 years of ministry among these people they had their first convert.  He was a ruined alcoholic, who had been saved from his disastrous life.  The missionary expressed how hopeful they were that this man would remain strong in his faith in Christ and not fall back into his former ways.  I heard rumors years later that many people in that tribe had become strong Christians. 

As Frances and I traveled with our mobile home to small towns in distant places in Argentina we often found faithful men and women, some pastors and others laymen and women, who served people with the love of Christ faithfully.  Often we found women cooking a huge pot of rice with chicken and other healthy foods sometimes over an open fire out behind the church… with tables all set and hungry neighborhood children waiting for their noon meal, their only healthy meal for the day.  And they often gave the children prepared food to be carried back to their unbelieving parents.  Nobody ever came to congratulate them on their labors.  Their names were unknown.  Their church was in the corner of nowhere.  But their faithfulness was certainly being notice by our Lord.  These became our “hidden heroes.”  Before leaving the area, Frances and I would try to give them some much needed encouragement.  Then we told their stories everywhere we went.  

P.  Lord some day we will be surprised when the trophies are passed out in heaven… unknown hidden heroes will be called to the front.  They never looked for acknowledgment or fame.  They were just doing Your work strong and steady, always enthusiastic knowing that nothing they did for You was ever useless.  Lord Jesus I pray for our large, “healthy-wealthy” congregations in the USA.  Many come to sit in church to be spoon fed another well prepared spiritual meal, but never learn the joy of committing their time and effort to be “doing Your work.”  And if they do anything at all they expect to be honored.  Jesus, I think we need You to raise up a new generation of “hidden heroes.”  Amen.

Ralph