“And the twelve
summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, ‘It is not desirable for us
to neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables. But select from among you,
brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom
we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and
to the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:2-4)
George Matheson (1842-1906) was born in
Glasgow, Scotland, to George and Jane Matheson. He was the oldest of eight
children and was born with poor vision, which gradually worsened. His sisters
learned Latin, Greek, and Hebrew to help him study. At age 20 he was totally
blind, but still resolved to enter the ministry, continuing his studies in
theology and history, receiving a Master’s Degree in 1862. In 1879 the
University of Edinburgh awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity.
He was a pastor in the resort town of Innelan for 18 years, where his ability to
memorize sermons and entire sections of the Bible left listeners unaware he was
blind. In 1886, he became pastor of St. Bernard’s Church in Edinburgh, serving
13 years. He wrote a number of excellent books and his hymns included, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.” He never married.
Matheson spoke of “three
classes in the Christian life; (1) the men of the
wing, (2) the men of the couch, and (3)
the men of the road.” He said, “the first (1) are those who fly
before; they are the pioneers of progress; they are in advance of their fellows.
The second (2) are those who stand still or rather
lie still; they are the invalids of the human race – they come not to minister,
but to be ministered to. The third,” he continued, “are those (3) who follow; they are
the ambulance corps of humanity,” as he called them, but he did not mean
anything negative about this latter group at all.
He said about this third group, "They are the sacrificial souls that come on behind,”
continuing, “I think with John that these last are the
most beautiful souls of all. They are lovely in their unobtrusiveness; they do
not wish to lead, choosing rather to be in the rear; they come forward only when
others are driven backward. They want no glory from the battle, no wreath for
the victory, no honorable mention among the heroes. They seek the wounded, the
dying, the dead; they anoint for life’s burial; they bring spices for the
crucified; they give the cup of cold water; they wash the soiled feet. They
break the fall of Adam; of Magdalene. They take in Saul of Tarsus after he
becomes blind…”
He continued, “…Let
others lead! I am content to follow. Help me to serve Thee in the background! Is
it not written they that tarry at home divide the spoil? I cannot fight Thy
battles, but I can nurse the wounded. I cannot repel Thy foes, but I can repair
Thy fortress. I cannot conduct Thy marches, but I can succor those who have
fainted by the way. Write my name among those who follow Thee.”
Paul, with John and Peter and others who
were called “apostles,” along with men like Billy Sunday and Billy Graham, are
what George Matheson called “the men of the wing.”
There are women in that category as well, for as Paul said in another place, “there is neither male nor female (in the sight of God), for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
A good recent example is Corrie Ten Boom, the Dutch lady who lost her life and
family in a German concentration camp, but then blessed thousands through her
orphanages and evangelistic messages. God does not play favorites. He just
chooses who He wants to be “those who fly before.”
The second group who "come not to minister, but to be ministered to,”
constitute by far the greatest number within the body of Christ, called the
“church.” These are as Matheson said, “the men (and
women) of the couch.” If the church was a hospital,
they would not be like the doctors and nurses, but instead they would be the “invalids” in need of care.
In our Scripture for today, two of the
three groups described by Matheson are mentioned. The “twelve”
included those named by Jesus to be “apostles,” including Peter and John, and
one who took the place of Judas Iscariot after he betrayed the Lord. “Apostles”
means “sent ones,” indicating that their time as “disciples” (“students”) was
complete and their lives were to be spent in service to others as enabled by the
Lord. They said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect
the Word of God in order to serve tables,” which could be interpreted as
pride, but it is not. They were attempting, with everything they had, to live
within the will of God, which included teaching, preaching and study, as He led
them. "The men of the wing" need our help.
There were so many converts to Christ among
them that administrative duties were distracting them from what was really
needed. It had become obvious that a new ministry was needed in the Christian
community of the time, and it is important to note what kind of people these
“deacons” were to be. One of the requirements for the “seven
men” who were to be selected seems obvious: They were to be “of good reputation,” which is important not only in the
church, but also in government, business and our personal lives as well.
These are among the ones that Matheson
called, “the most beautiful souls of all.” They are
among those who do not seek the glory from other people and typically don’t
receive it either. They are the “ambulance corps of
humanity,” as Matheson said, and note that this group is not limited to
what the early church called “deacons.” They are men and women who often have no
titles at all, but simply do the will of God in the lives of others. Just as
surely as the apostles did God’s will, so do they.
They often work within their own families,
as a good mother does in ministering to her little ones. Matheson’s sisters are
an excellent example, for they learned Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, not for
themselves, but for him, so that he might study effectively and succeed in
school. There have been many hospital workers through the centuries who have not
been heralded as great healers in the sight of men, but instead they anonymously
prayed for patients they visited and no one but God knows the great works they
have done. A “good reputation” is important, but
most of all in the ambulance corps, those who serve in such a manner need to be
“full of the (Holy) Spirit,”
with God’s “wisdom” in the use of the gifts they
have. They have significant gifts from God, so wonderful that they could be the
Billy Graham of comforters, but the recognition they receive is from God, not
from men.
Are you such a person? Do you want to be?
Let’s pray:
Father, enroll me in Your ambulance
corps. Let me serve others in the Spirit and power of God. Fill my life with
Your power, that I may bless many for You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
