“And He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.” Mark 6:7 (ESV)
And king Solomon too said about this,
“For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:10 (ESV)
Though we had toiled in that place for four years, there were no great evidential results to quantify or consolidate the ministry, though many gathered in the special meetings and there was a regular flow of youth and adults in the prayer cells. After the other brother left, I was alone and and I was in a transition phase. I was preparing myself to move. That was the last week of my stay in that place. And in that week I had three encounters which influenced me to the extent of changing my perspective of measuring the results of one’s ministry.
Musing the music meet
This happened in the last month of my stay in Dhanbad. One person came to my home and introduced himself as a doctor who had a clinic of his own. I could recognize that clinic. He was directed to my home by someone to whom he had enquired for a Christian bookstore/CD shop. He was a Hindu, but liked to listen to Christian songs. This influence was through one of his relatives who was in the West, who had sent him one Christian song album. His music loving daughter too took into it. So, he came asking for music CDs. Though I was not having any Book/CD store, I took this opportunity to give him all my personal collections of Christian songs in English and Hindi. He took me to his home and copied them all and later returned them to me. He visited me every week and took me to his home. Though I couldn’t share much with him, I just shared the testimony of my salvation.
Considering the changed countenance
This incident too happened in the same month. I went to the study centre of a University to enquire about a course for one of our staff who was in the HQ. Since the receptionist could not answer my query, he directed me to meet with the Director. I went to meet him and discussed with him all about the course. Then he enquired about me. I told him that I was a Christian missionary. Immediately his countenance changed and he became very sad. He started to share about that which had been a matter of concern and botheration for him for a very long time. His son was terminally ill with a rare disease and he had taken him to so many hospitals. He asked me to pray for him and gave me his card.
Trailing the tape trip
On another day, I heard the door bell ring and when I answered the door, there was a man in his forties, neatly dressed standing outside. He asked for me and understanding that he had come seeking me, I invited him in. He introduced himself as a Professor and said that he had come to know of me through one of his students. This student of his was attending our weekly prayer fellowship. Saying that he wanted to talk to me, he called me to his home. So he took me in his car. When I sat in the car, he started talking.
“Please listen to this tape”, he said and played a tape in his car. “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus…..” It was the Luke’s gospel that was playing.
After a long time, I understood that this is about Jesus and to do with Christianity. I wanted to know more, but always hesitated to go to a church. And I have been looking for someone who could tell me more about Jesus. Quite recently I realized by her name that this student of mine is a Christian and I asked her to tell me. It was then she said that she will not be able to explain me well and she gave me your address.”
By that time we had reached his home. He was living in quite a posh locality. His wife and son were there. His wife brought me some snacks and we sat to talk. Including that day I could meet with him on only one more day and I had to leave, which opportunity I took to talk about the Gospel.
Close consideration
All of these three incidents happened in the last month of my stay in Dhanbad and left a permanent imprint in my mind. I haven’t had so dramatic encounters so far in the four years and when I had them I was leaving that place. I learnt many truths through these incidents,
First, many a times we can never quantify our efforts & results in ministry. We need to just keep doing what God has called us for, faithfully & diligently. We may be playing a part of the role in a person’s search for the Truth. God sends different people in a person’s life to bring him or her into His fold. We might be in the beginning or in the middle or at the end of the continual influence in a person’s life which leads him to make that decision for Christ.
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV)
So, no effort, big or small, is a waste in God’s kingdom. All counts!
And no one (minister) or no ministry is big or small. We all are His servants, called to fulfil His purpose in His own way and in His time, for His glory!
But this doesn’t mean that we can be lazy! Laziness and complacency is no excuse!
Secondly, even when we see (or atleast presume according to our standards of measurement) that there are no fruits in ministry, we should not be discouraged and that should not be the ultimate reason for our joy. Because it has two dangers. One, we will be utterly discouraged when there is no fruit and we will be totally carried away with the great results of our ministry that our focus will shift from pleasing God to the pleasure of performance.
“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV)
“Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” Luke 17:9-10 (ESV)
David Livingston, the missionary to Africa rightly said, “If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honour, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?” This is missionary spirit!
“So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:7 (ESV)
When we serve God joyfully, fulfilling His will, in His own way He will satisfy us, not through tangible things, but through His Spirit in our spirit. He will be our JOY and INHERITANCE.
Let us continue to serve God not seeking earthly rewards, but heavenly rewards that are eternal.
Fourthly, we need to wait for God’s timing in ministry. We should never be frustrated when we see no results or less results. Ministering in a mission or in our offices, quite often we may not see great results; dramatic change in people; but be assured that Heaven holds surprises for each and everyone of us, who obey His Great Commission! So when I say time, it is of two-fold. One, we might be at a particular mission field or in an individual’s life, where it is the harvest time and might enjoy the fruits. Second, the time or day of seeing or knowing the results might be kept for us only at the end of days, when all things will be revealed. “each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 1 Corinthians 3:13 (ESV)
And above all, though we are called to minister, God uses every instance of our ministry to minister to us! The messages that we preach, the articles or poems that we write, the people whom we meet, the places that we visit, the situations that we go through, all of it is primarily meant to transform us like Him! When we touch others lives, our lives too get touched and transformed.
Let us not try to seek worth from what we do for the Lord! Let us always be reminded of our wretchedness and Christ’s (His alone) worthiness! Our worth is not because of who we are or because of what we do, but our worth is in Christ , as we are washed in His blood and worship Him and work for His glory and wait for His coming!
Let us join with Paul (who even counts his sacrifices as rubbish) and say, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:7-8 (ESV)
When this truth sinks into us, we will not be concerned of our worth; will not be troubled when people do not value us and will not give unnecessary worthiness to godmen and we will find our worth in Christ and will never steal the worth that belongs to Him alone!
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