Dear friends:
I greet you and write this letter to encourage you.
Last month was a very busy month for me in Chiapas. I had three groups back to back from the US who came to help remodel the Chenalho dormitory and clinic and to build a mission church. Today, Carlos and I will drive 12 hours to do the same for a church in the state of Quintana Roo.
Who, Then Is The Greatest?
A few weeks ago, I was visiting with Carlos and he was a little discouraged. He said that there was a pastor in Tuxtla whose membership numbered about 1,500. This pastor’s church building is old and run down. Carlos’ church building is new and beautiful, yet his congregation numbers about 200. The difference in the two pastors is that one pastors 1,500 while the other pastors more than 200 pastors who pastor thousands upon thousands of people.
Who is the greater of these two? That would be like comparing the Apostle Paul with Moses. Moses’ congregation numbered in the millions whereas Paul’s only numbered in the handfuls. Yet both were mightily used by God.
In Deuteronomy 3:28 God commands Moses to “charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shall see.”
Jesus covered this subject quite well in Luke 21:1-3. “He looked up and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a poor widow casting in thither two mites, and He said, ‘of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than them all. For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God.; but she has cast in all of her living that she had.’”
Paul also covers this in 1st Corinthians 12. He says that the body is not one member but many. He goes on to explain the importance of each member of the body. The eyes, nose, the feet. He also touches on the spiritual. God has set some in the church apostles, prophets, teachers, and so on. Who then is the greatest?
Again Jesus covers this subject quite well in Matthew 18. The disciples ask Jesus “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them and said to them in verse 4, “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
May I add Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:37? “Those who love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul and mind and who love thy neighbor as thyself.”
With Thanksgiving And Gratitude
I will be in Mexico in January, February and March doing all within my ability to fulfill my calling even as the Apostle Paul said, “Counting myself least of the apostles.” (1 Corinthians 15:9)
I marvel at you who hear the voice of God, who respond at the exact time of need. Time after time, in my opinion, you rate among the greatest, and I am grateful. I pray that many times this month, you express your thankfulness to our Lord for all that He is to you and your family.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Larry Myers