A particular man of God served nearly half his life as a missionary on a Sioux reservation in Lake Andes, South Dakota. An exemplar of faithful service to the King, he consistently preached on Sunday mornings, rain or shine. He held weekly Bible studies in his home and led as a model of excellence in hospitality. No one ever left his home hungry or in need. He organized outreach ministries to meet the needs of orphans and widows (weekly visits to the local jail and the nursing home). He was not a man of great eloquence. His sermons were not recorded and studied in seminaries around the globe. He had no treaties on great theological mysteries. He was a simple man, raised in poverty from a converted train car in Nebraska, and held no formal education of note. Most people would profess never to have known Calvin Gale—my grandfather. Nevertheless, he had a significant kingdom impact through his faithfulness to Christ. His love for Christ and those around him made a lasting impact. He exemplified what Alexander Maclaren stated, “[The life of David] teaches us the point of view from which Scripture regards its greatest names—as nothing, except in so far as they are God’s instruments.”1 There lies within us all a great temptation towards self-importance. I propose to show that blessings come in obscurity.
Obscurity Teaches Us That the Lord Sees the Heart
Looking at David, as Maclaren had, we can see that God sees the heart of man (1 Sam 16:7, NASB). God develops character and integrity in His servants. When David was a shepherd, he was fiercely committed to God’s Glory (1 Sam 17). In obscurity, David worshiped the Lord, was faithfully content to serve where he was placed, and even rose to the occasion as God’s chosen vessel to defeat Goliath. However, the descriptor that resonates most with pastors is that David was a man after God’s heart (1 Sam 13:14). His faithfulness in the little things is evidenced. As a child, I remember hearing my grandfather preach with such passion. His sermons would be marked with emphatic hand gestures, moistened eyes full of tears, and passionate pleas for greater faithfulness to Christ. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and his heart was sold out for Christ. Can we be content to live in obscurity, never really knowing the impact we may have? We should strive to be faithful in the little things, knowing that the Lord sees them.
Obscurity Teaches Us Humility
Paul addressed this in his letter to the Corinthian church when he said, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase”(1 Cor 3:6). Our calling is to make disciples through the proclamation of the gospel faithfully. The humility of obscurity helps to call us to faithfulness in our service, knowing that God is the one who draws hearts to Him. As we seek Christ, we should also seek His glory. John Stott stated, “Once we are clear that God is King, we long to see him crowned with glory and honour and accorded his true place, which is the supreme place. We become ambitious for the spread of his kingdom and righteousness everywhere.”2 We should become obsessed with the Glory of God in our lives and the world around us.
Obscurity Teaches Us Dependence
Charles Spurgeon put it, “We are utterly dependent upon God— absolutely must we rest on him. But this is as it should be, for it was better to trust in the Lord than to have confidence in man.”3 To be fair, this truth is merely an expression of humility. However, I wanted to draw out the distinction that dependence upon God is more than just humility; it is surrender. As a child, I would see my grandfather wake up before the sun and pour over his Bible while eating cereal or chocolate cake. I would always hear him praying the same prayer in the morning. “Lord, help me today.” Then, I would frequently hear him whisper throughout the day, “Thank you, Jesus!” When we cry out to God, we depend on His excellent favor. That lesson, though not explicitly spoken, has never left my thoughts. Dependence upon Christ is a life lived in surrender to good and bad things.
Obscurity Reveals Deep Faithfulness
Despite the years of toil and sweat, the Lord brought numerous salvations to that little rural church in South Dakota. Through his willing heart and faithful hands, Calvin made a gospel impact in the community where he served. At his funeral, the caretaker from the nursing home came up to me to retell his last moments with her. He had just finished watching one of his favorite Gaither Vocal Band videos. She recounted how he leaned forward, touched the television screen, and declared, “Thank you, brother, I will take it from here.” He then proceeded to preach the gospel to the room.
Conclusion
It is important to note that I am not saying that having influence is terrible. Nor am I saying that desiring to have influence is necessarily bad. I am saying, let Christ’s glory be the fuel of our heart’s passion. Let us, above all other joys in this life, never lose zeal for the glory of God. Let us resolve to see Christ in every aspect of our lives and, by His grace alone, drag others along with us.
