LABOR OF LOVE!!

Christ has taught us that just as we are hidden in Him, we should hide behind Him in all that we do for Him. Our mandate is to hide behind the cross and continue to serve the Lord in utter humility and surrender. But sometimes we feel sad when the people for whom we toil do not show any appreciation for all that we do for their spiritual welfare. This may be true about what we do outside the spiritual realm as well. This world will not appreciate what we do for them even though we do it as unto the Lord. He is merciful to the world and He expresses it in very many ways including what He moves us to do for them. The good work that we do in the world is God’s way of using us to touch the lives of people. We may never receive any appreciation for any thing that we do for those whom we live and have concern. The world is yet to give credit to the missionaries for their contribution to social, educational, health and linguistic development in the mission fields. But these are the ways by which the Lord uses His servants to touch the souls of people to sensitize them to gospel. We often find similar responses to our ministries in the churches and fellowships we are a part of. The hard work, toil, sweat, pain, tears and other sacrifices that the Lord enables us to put into the ministries are rarely understood in its depth and sincerity by the beneficiaries of our ministries. But we are reassured by the Lord in His Word that He knows what we do. He sees our toil for our fellow beings and for the household of faith. Here we might be resented and rejected as experienced by our Lord and His apostles and the great prophets like Jeremiah. Our task might not be as big as that of the apostles and prophets, but even the smallest ministry performed by the seemingly insignificant organ of the body will find proper recognition and appreciation by the Lord.

Dar reader, are you hurt by the resentment that you experience from others whom you serve as unto the Lord? Perhaps you are rejected by your dear ones in the family or church family and even by your colleagues in the ministry. It is likely that no one remembers the small things you do for the Lord and His people. But your Lord is faithful to remember your toil for Him and He will reward you at the right time. If you have lost sleep for the Lord, He will reward you with rest. If you have been embarrassed for the Lord, He will openly appreciate and recognize you in the presence of His angels. If you have sacrificed material things for the Lord, He will help you to find it all as multiplied investment in heaven. When you see the result of your toil in heaven, your tears will turn to joy. In this world, you might end your ministry with very little result, but the seed that you sowed will find sheaves in heaven. So dear reader, there is no reason for you to be discouraged about your toil. It is best not to expect any reward here on earth. Let us wait for the Lord to recognize us in heaven. Let our motive behind our labor for the Lord be our love and indebtedness to the Lord rather than our desire for a reward. Our responsibility is to work for the Lord and leave the result with Him. Let us be encouraged today as we toil for the Lord that He will bring our hard work to its proper completion. He will show us the results of our toil in His holy presence which is waiting for us.

1 Corinthians 3:8 – The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

Thought for Today