Discovery: My favorite Red Sox player in recent years has been Hideki Okajima (even though he is currently in the minor leagues). When he first came over in 2007, he was cool as ice and incredibly reliable coming out of the bullpen. In many ways, he overshadowed the much hyped Daisuke Matsuzaka. When asked by reporters how he felt about being overshadowed by Dice-K, Okajima replied through a translator, "I am happy being a hero in the dark."
Being heroic doesn't always happen when the spotlight is on you. In fact, there are countless numbers of parents, teachers, spouses, service people, and ministry leaders who serve anonymously yet heroically.
In our passage today, we see Paul talking about the important task of transporting the generous financial gift that the Corinthian church has taken up for the home church back in Jerusalem. Paul desire is to be "above board" and transparent in the administration of these gifts. He states in v. 21 :"We are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men."
Paul does this by selecting Titus as well as two unnamed individuals who will help transport this gift back to Jerusalem. They are simply referred to by Paul as "the brother" in v. 18 and "our brother" in v. 22. Both come with an incredible track record of service and faithfulness to the Jesus and the church. Paul chooses them based on their character and integrity and not just because of giftedness or charisma. Though they are nameless in this passage, their value is far from useless.
In v. 23, Paul states that these two individuals are the "representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ." These are words of high praise coming form someone like the apostle Paul.
Application: The church is full of nameless servants similar to these two unnamed brothers. They may not always be in the spotlight as they serve and love others but they are clearly doing the Lord's work. The challenge for us is not to simple appreciate and admire these "heros in the dark" but rather it is to emulate them.
People who serve behind the scenes set an incredible example for all of us (especially those who are more upfront). They remind us that we are serving God and not ourselves or others. Upfront leaders need to understand that we walk a very thin tight-rope. In our service to God, whether it be preaching, teaching, leading, or counseling, it is very easy to give God the glory and receive a little bit for ourselves as well. Theses "heros in the dark" remind us that that service is about giving God the full glory and not trying to deflect some for ourselves.
People who serve behind the scenes also set an incredible example of humility and sincerity. Service to God is not about boosting our ego or self-esteem but it is about sacrificially laying our lives down so that others can hear and experience the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Those in upfront ministry need to remember the humility and sincerity of these "heros in the dark" and to be reminded that it is only God's affirmation that matters at all.
I shared on Sunday about our kitchen team at the Navajo mission trip. I have never seen a more hard working and dedicated group of people. Every morning when I rolled into the kitchen, they were already hard at work getting breakfast ready for everyone. Mind you breakfast started at around 7am so they must have been up hours beforehand. No matter what time of day I walked through the kitchen during that whole week, the kitchen staff was quietly, patiently, and wonderfully cleaning, prepping, preparing, and organizing our various meals and snacks. Even well into the night, they were there slicing fruits for the team to eat. They simply did not stop in serving us.
Even though the kitchen team did not have a direct role with the children's VBS, youth program, or adult ministry during the week, they made it possible for the rest of us to do our jobs well. Moreover, they set an example for me as to how to approach the mission trip. There were times that I was tired and wanted to check out but whenever I saw the hard work of the kitchen team, I was reminded to not give up and pull my weight on this mission trip. They were truly an inspiration to me on this trip.
Heros inspire. Heros lead others. Heros don't always have to be on the front-line or in the spotlight. In fact some of the greatest are never seen by others. They remain nameless to us but not to God.
I ended my sermon by talking about the movie Apollo 13. My good friend Jim from college loves this movie because the true heros are the engineers. :) As many who have seen this movie can attest, it was the amazing people at the Command Center in Houston that made the rescue of Apollo 13 possible. They took what could have been a potential tragedy and major blemish on the Space Program and they turned into one of its most greatest moments and shining examples of its strength and resolve.
This is what it really means to be a hero in the dark. I pray that we would aspire to follow their example.
Prayer: Lord, search my heart and teach me through the many examples and models you have given me of people who labor tirelessly for you without an recognition. I repent of the ways that I want the credit that I feel is due to me and instead I want to learn to walk the way of the cross for You and You alone.
