I recently met a woman who told me she had been teaching in her Sunday School for over 50 years. That’s faithfulness! Think of all the generations that have been discipled under her tutorage. She taught adults. I’m sure many of them went home and taught their children. Those children grew up and had more children who were in turn discipled by their parents. And who knows how many discipleship conversations were shared with other family members, coworkers, neighbors, friends, and strangers.
Her faithfulness reminds me of 1 Corinthians 3:6b which says, “Apollos watered.”
This simply means that Apollos was faithful in the teaching and instruction of the Christians under his care. Acts 1 informs us Apollos had some faithful followers but gives no clear indication that he was an elder, deacon, missionary, evangelist, or leader in any other way in the church.
We learn in Acts 18:24–28 that Apollos was competent in his use of Scripture, fervent in spirit, accurately taught about Jesus, willing to continue learning, and a great help to those who believed in Jesus. What we know for sure is that he was a teacher and a discipler.
My mother was my first discipler, but the list of people who have poured into my life includes my dad, my deacons, youth leaders, Sunday school teachers, and other concerned adults. Where would we be without the faithful teachers and disciplers of our day?
You labor without response.
Most of the time most of the people we serve never come back and let us know how the lessons have blessed, directed, and corrected their lives. We must stand in the confident belief that Isaiah 55:11 is right. “So my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”
You labor without recognition.
Often the impact of the lessons we teach and the conversations we share is not felt right away. We, like Paul, are planting and, like Apollos, are watering. And in His own time, God gives the increase.
You labor without reward.
I have known faithful Bible group leaders who taught almost 52 weeks a year, year after year. They labor without compensation, celebration, or notoriety. As disciplers we may never see all the fruit of our labors in this life. We will not see many of those whose lives we have impacted until we get to Heaven.
"You are unsung heroes of the faith. You watered!"
Dr. Mark A. Croston, Sr.
We have a willow oak tree in our yard. In a season of drought, my wife was sure it was going to die. So, we went out every day to faithfully water that tree. The tree could not tell us it needed water, but she could see it. And today, because of her faithfulness, that willow oak is flourishing!
We celebrate you for your unsung faithfulness. God is using your faithful watering to make disciples grow.