Romans 16:12: Greet Those Workers In The Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet The Beloved Persis, Who Has Worked Hard In The Lord.

Romans 16:12

Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. (ESV)

All of these who are greeted in this verse have one thing in common. They were hard workers. In our Christian culture today, it is sometimes a forgotten reality that building God's church requires work. Granted, Jesus himself said that He would build his church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. However, Jesus builds his church, and uses us to work for him.

First and foremost, we should consider the opportunity to work for our dear Lord as the highest privilege of our lives. We were lost in sin, and headed for an eternity in hell, when the goodness of God reached down and brought us unto salvation. Every day we have is a blessing. Every day we have to work in God's kingdom is a chance to do something of lasting value and reward.

Paul knew firsthand how valuable workers were to his ministry. He did not have internet, or cell phones, or computers, or any of the technology that we take for granted. He did have a good system of roads to travel thanks to the Roman Empire. Paul used all of these various workers in different places where he ministered to bring the Gospel to other places.

Today we have all the modern conveniences of technology. In some ways it should be easier to deliver the message of the Gospel to others. I wonder if we are as effective as Paul was in the first century. One of the things I fear we are lacking is a commitment to labor for the King of Kings. It is not a hardship to work for the one who died to save us.

Are you working hard in the Lord? Are you willing to make sacrifices so that the Gospel message can be declared to all the world? Ask God to show you how you might be more effective in working for his kingdom?