Zambia Hunt

Every faithful missionary longs to be fruitful for the glory of God. Yet, beneath that longing often lies a hidden desire for recognition. Too easily our identity becomes tied to the ministry we lead or the position we hold. The real test comes when those roles pass into other hand – when what we built is carried forward without us, and our names fade from memory.

The Challenge to the Soul

My soul, can you endure becoming unnecessary within the very work you once poured your life into? Can you rejoice when your disciples succeed, though your own name is forgotten?

Can you step aside gladly, and humbly leave the work to someone else who does not have your exact gifts, experiences or influence? Yet this is the way of Christ, who entrusted His mission to weak and often failing followers. 

My soul, are you able to appoint Timothy and then sail away to imprisonment in Rome? Are you able to trust God to raise up His leaders in a way similar to how God worked to raise you?

Soul can you stand having your exploits forgotten, your sacrifices overlooked, your ideas ignored? Yes, O soul, can you bear irrelevance? Yet, this is what must be faced by every Christian who wants God glorified to the ends of the earth!

Can you rejoice when others get the accolades  and praise? Can you quietly accept obscurity, content that Christ is seen even if you are not? Can you continue faithfully in the shadows, bearing the lack of recognition all so that the glory of God may shine brightly through others?

Biblical Examples

John the Baptist knew something of this ministry dilemma. He was the “Elijah” who was to come, the “voice crying in the wilderness, ‘prepare the way of the Lord.’” This is the one of whom Jesus said, “Among those born of women there has arisen no one greater” (Matthew 11:11).

John’s disciples were jealous that the disciples of Jesus were baptizing more people than John, and that all the crowds that were coming to John, were now flocking to Jesus! Yet John was content to fulfill his role of preparing the way, and pointing people to the one who came after him – Jesus. John found his joy in seeing the multitudes follow Christ, thus losing influence and ministry opportunities that he had previously enjoyed. John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:27-30).

Moses also faced this reality! He led the people of God out of Egypt and through the wilderness, but then he must hand over leadership to Joshua, who would lead the people into the victory that God had promised. Moses was content to accept his role, his time, equipping his disciple to enjoy the mature fruit of all that he had labored for (Deuteronomy 34:9-12).

The apostle Paul too displayed this humility. Near the end of his life, he entrusted leadership to Timothy and Titus while he himself was poured out “like a drink offering” (2 Timothy 4:6). He rejoiced that the gospel would continue beyond his influence, as disciples entrusted gospel truth to other faithful men, even as he faced imprisonment and death (2 Timothy 2:2).

Conclusion

My desire is to share John’s mindset toward the leaders who will take over ministry responsibilities. I pray God grant me deepest joy and satisfaction in their effectiveness and ministry success. 

The true measure of ministry is not how long our names are remembered, but how faithfully Christ is magnified. The Father sees every hidden sacrifice. He remembers what others overlook. And in eternity, He will reward what was done in secret.

May God give us the grace of John the Baptist, the humility of Paul, and the joy of Christ Himself, who said, “It is better for you that I go away” (John 16:7). Pray that I learn to decrease, so that Christ may increase.