Working in obscurity

I have been reading Thessalonians and in it Paul states

1 Thess 2:13KJV

13For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received itnot as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 

Paul here is thankful for those who heard the words, and understood the origin of those words. 

Paul is grateful for those who heard. Grateful for those who received what was  said. 

Those who put the Word of God out whether in print or video or TV do so in an effort to exhort, teach, and instruct. Many who do so do it in obscurity, with no thought towards what is in it for them.

Most do it in the fervent hope that it reaches at least one. That it can change lives whether it be one or many.

There are those who are in the ministry for the money who preach nonsense to make the masses feel good but this is not about them. They have their reward here on this earth.

I am speaking of the small country church preachers and teachers who have 30 to 40 at every service yet toil on in the place God has placed them. 

We call them the unsung heroes. They will never be rich monetarily but their efforts are world changing for some. 

They are going about their work, their calling and with no thought given to what's in it for them.

I have long thought that the biggest receptions in Heaven are for someone we have never heard of. Someone who labored for the Lord in an out of the way place. No fame, no riches, no attention yet they have altered lives, kept the faith and run the course faithfully. 

To those people we should say thanks. Thanks for answering the midnight call when our loved ones are in the hospital, thanks for the talks when we are fearful, the compassion at a funeral, the constant presence that comforted us and guided us. 

We call these people, not celebrities or ball players or those who are famed and looked up to. Why? Because they are constant, consistent and true.

The hall of fame may never know them, but we could not live without them.

Take some time and say thanks, give thanks to God for those people in your life, your community.

They labor for love, they labor for the Gospel, they labor for the people.