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00:00:00.000 | In a previous episode, I talked in passing about how I wanted to do these shorter episodes
00:00:27.720 | that I wanted to call "Side Notes."
00:00:30.520 | These are going to consist of things that just come to my mind, probably current events,
00:00:36.280 | etc.
00:00:37.280 | That I just want to comment on speedily and that also doesn't require a lengthy episode.
00:00:43.120 | But my goal is to not comment just merely to comment, but to do so in a way and within
00:00:50.640 | a framework that does justice to truth and reality.
00:00:54.880 | So on this side note, I want to dig into the reality of the inconspicuous servants.
00:01:05.840 | So in order to do that correctly, let me read from 1 Corinthians 12, 22-25.
00:01:11.560 | 1 Corinthians 12, 22-25 reading from the Legacy Standard Bible says this, "On the contrary,
00:01:20.860 | how much more is it that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary,
00:01:27.180 | and those members of the body which we think as less honorable, on these we bestow more
00:01:34.920 | abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our
00:01:40.120 | presentable members have no such need.
00:01:42.820 | But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,
00:01:48.960 | so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care
00:01:55.060 | for one another."
00:01:56.060 | A couple of things to note here, in verse 22 Paul writes, "How much more is it that
00:02:01.260 | the members of the body which seem to be weaker, not that they actually are, but how much more
00:02:08.660 | that they seem."
00:02:10.340 | So the body parts that may seem weaker to us are not weaker objectively.
00:02:16.860 | That is merely our perception.
00:02:19.860 | This thought is expanded in the next verse, in verse 23 Paul writes, "That those members
00:02:23.520 | of the body we think as less honorable, not that they actually are, but that we think
00:02:30.000 | as less honorable.
00:02:32.160 | On these same body parts, we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become
00:02:39.840 | much more presentable."
00:02:42.880 | And you know, I could totally attest to the veracity of these statements on an experiential
00:02:47.820 | level.
00:02:48.820 | So let me explain what I mean by that.
00:02:51.540 | When I was contemplating becoming an elder, one of the many things that I knew would change
00:02:56.100 | when I became an elder was that I would naturally become more visible.
00:03:02.180 | Along with that, certain things come with the territory.
00:03:05.340 | Part of that territory is that people would thank me for various things, and my hidden
00:03:09.340 | works would become, well, less hidden.
00:03:13.020 | And don't get me wrong.
00:03:14.020 | I'm absolutely not scolding people that thank me.
00:03:17.220 | That would just be weird.
00:03:18.940 | People thank me to encourage me, and I appreciate that.
00:03:22.180 | However, some of the most rewarding times in my life were those times when I was in
00:03:30.940 | charge of the so-called "less honorable" ministries, the so-called "weaker" ministries.
00:03:40.260 | And it was so rewarding because there was no struggle in my heart as to why I was doing
00:03:48.300 | what I was doing.
00:03:50.420 | There was no struggle because people didn't want to do it.
00:03:53.340 | So for me to do it, there wasn't really a struggle as to why.
00:03:55.900 | I didn't really need to question my motives, right?
00:03:59.460 | There was a need, and it was going to be filled.
00:04:02.940 | Matthew 6, 5-6, although it's talking about prayer, the principle applies here.
00:04:07.260 | Jesus states in Matthew 6, verses 5-6, He says, "And when you pray, you are not to
00:04:14.260 | be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street
00:04:19.340 | corners so that they may be seen by men.
00:04:23.180 | Truly, I say to you, they have their reward in full.
00:04:27.580 | But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray
00:04:34.500 | to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will
00:04:39.860 | reward you."
00:04:42.500 | You know, there are some servant teams that have a long wait list, but there are many
00:04:49.060 | servant teams that we would never even dream of serving, and not because we don't have
00:04:55.220 | the capacity, but because, quite frankly, we see it as beneath us.
00:05:02.300 | To many of us, it is offensive to even suggest we serve in these ministries, but that is
00:05:08.980 | a far, far cry from God's own heart, a far cry from God's own perspective.
00:05:16.380 | 1 Samuel 16, 7 states this, "For God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the
00:05:24.540 | outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
00:05:30.340 | And if it is indeed the case that we will only serve in certain capacities, what do
00:05:36.500 | you think that states about your actual maturity?
00:05:41.260 | I'm not talking about your own perceived maturity, I'm talking about your actual maturity.
00:05:47.700 | Do you think that God doesn't see your own heart?
00:05:52.860 | So my admonition to all of us who are willing to listen is this, let's seek to have that
00:05:58.820 | perspective, that mindset, that God is the only audience we need to please, that being
00:06:05.620 | in the minority sometimes when you serve doesn't discount the importance of your particular
00:06:11.620 | ministry, that God is a God who sees and rewards, and that alone makes inconspicuous service
00:06:18.540 | all the more necessary, that makes it all the more only what we need.
00:06:26.220 | In Matthew 6, 2, Jesus is talking about secret prayer, but again, the same principle applies
00:06:31.060 | to secret service to God.
00:06:32.220 | He says this, "Therefore, when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you
00:06:38.540 | as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified
00:06:43.020 | by men.
00:06:44.500 | Truly, I say to you, they have their reward in full."
00:06:50.900 | The people who are committed to secret service, knowing God sees, understands this verse in
00:06:57.540 | a way very few of us do.
00:07:01.340 | They know the Lord looks at the heart.
00:07:04.940 | So because of that, no ministry is beneath them.
00:07:09.540 | So to all you inconspicuous servants, I want to say to you, be encouraged.
00:07:14.940 | You know how to persevere when it seems like you're the only one who cares about the ministries
00:07:19.900 | that you're involved in, that constantly need new volunteers.
00:07:23.460 | You understand how to process frustration without belittling everyone else.
00:07:28.540 | You're okay with doing the thankless jobs.
00:07:31.340 | And on the final accounting of all things, your works will vindicate the way you've chosen
00:07:37.620 | to spend your time.
00:07:41.060 | Repeating 1 Corinthians 12, 23 to 24, "And those members of the body, which we think
00:07:46.820 | as less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members
00:07:54.540 | become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no such need.
00:08:00.020 | For God has composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked."
00:08:08.820 | I want to give a shout out to some of the more inconspicuous servants.
00:08:12.020 | And as I give this shout out, I know there are many, many more that I'm missing.
00:08:16.500 | And if that is you, you are genuinely glad that I'm missing you, right?
00:08:21.780 | So with that said, my brother Aaron Go has done just an awesome job in leading logistics.
00:08:28.060 | Martin Mao has been a beast leading cleanup.
00:08:32.060 | Brian Pomona Kim has been a stud with parking.
00:08:36.100 | Now I'm not saying these guys are sinless.
00:08:37.700 | I'm not saying they've reached the pinnacle of sanctification.
00:08:41.660 | And it doesn't mean that if they ever leave these teams, they're somehow falling away
00:08:44.920 | or less mature.
00:08:47.500 | I just want to take some time to recognize them.
00:08:49.220 | As Paul writes, "Bestow more abundant honor."
00:08:56.620 | This is James Hong, and I'm signing off.
00:08:58.640 | [Music]
00:09:05.640 | [End]