Honoring Others Who Serve and Serving

Philippians 2:28-30

So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.

 Like Paul suggested with Epaphroditus, we should honor those who have served faithfully for God. They are true heroes for the kingdom. Children should be taught to revere them, admire them, and seek to be like them. We can learn from these warriors in the faith. They may not be the top leaders out in front. They may be a Christian janitor in a public school or an office assistant to a world-changing leader. They may be missionaries on remote outposts where no one sees the work they do and the sacrifices they make. Still, these faithful ones support others in the faith, they pray much for others and work throughout their lives for the good of the Kingdom of God.  They are the true heroes in the world.

Eve

Did she teach her children to respect, love and honor their father as well as others in the family worked tirelessly for God? Did she take pains to encourage any of her children whom she observed to be faithfully serving God and the growing family on the earth? As the matriarch of the human race, she could have been a leader in embracing and encouraging faith, loving service and real workers for God’s cause.

Mary

Mary was called to serve Jesus in a very special way. She was called to be His earthly mother. She gave everything to the cause of God and the Path that was spread before her as she understood God’s will for her life to be. Jesus asked John to taker her as his own mother, and Mary remained with John for the rest of her life when Jesus returned to Heaven.  We can  see parallels in her life to this believer, Epaphroditus, that Paul was speaking about to the Philippian church because she ministered of herself for the Kingdom of God and made many sacrifices to perform her labors of love.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, Our Father in Heaven,

I pray for two things, for the heart to respect and honor others who have given greatly to God’s work and cause and for the dedication to do whatever jobs of service that God will place in my path to do for Him and to minister to His people. Thank You that You can give me love for faithful servants and a focus for devoted service. You have a wonderful plan and I am so grateful that Jesus has provided a way for me to be a part of Your Kingdom. I pray this in His name.

Amen.