Faithful Messengers Needed

“He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.” (Pr 26:6 AV)

There is broad understanding here concerning the feet and the damage.  Whose feet are cut off and who drinks the damage?  What do those phrases mean, anyway?  To make sense of it, if we look at the feet and the drink as part of the process of delivering the message, it will make complete sense.  To cut off the feet means the message will be very late in getting to where it needs to be, or it may not arrive at all.  The drinking which results in damage is the message arriving, yet so distorted, it does not accomplish that which it was sent forth to do.  There are many reasons these two realities might be the case.  However, it all boils down to the character of the messenger.  That is what we want to consider this morning.

A story is told of an unlikely hero of the Revolutionary war.  Sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington was the daughter of a nearby militia.  Word came to young Sybil of an imminent attack on the city of Danbury by the British who were targeting an arms depot in the area.  There was no one to ride and warn the Revolutionaries, so she mounted her horse and set out to warn the militia stationed near Danbury, CT.  Her trip was in the middle of the night and covered nearly 40 miles.  Twice the distance as Paul Revere’s famous ride.  Along the way, she was accosted by highwaymen and fended them off with a switch.  When gazing upon a statue erected in her honor, it can be seen she is holding a stick.  She kept that stick with her for the duration of her journey.  When she arrived, it was discovered the British were already engaging the city of Danbury, but the militia was unaware.  They were able to mount a resistance that made the battle a bit more difficult for their foe, even though the effort was eventually lost.  There are so many excuses little Sybil could have made that would justify not riding to Danbury.  She was a female and not a member of the army.  It wasn’t her job.  It was too dangerous.  She was a lady and she may ride into harm's way.  It wouldn’t get there in time to make any difference.  Her message would have fallen on ears who could or would do nothing about it.  It simply wouldn’t make a difference.  All these reasons were no good enough.  She rode anyway.  She had a message that someone else needed to hear.  This message, and her devotion to it, spurred on the Connecticut militia to finally enter the war.

We are tasked to share the gospel message of salvation to a lost a dying world.  This is the only message worth dying for.  This message of faith and grace is being muzzled by a world that hates the LORD.  However, there are those who will listen and who need it desperately.  It is not someone else’s job.  It is ours.  It is not just the preachers’ job, the deacon’s job, the Sunday school teacher’s job.  It is your job.  It is my job.  Of course, there will be hazards along the way.  I have had a firearm pulled on me twice.  I have had dogs chase me off their property.  But that is part of being a messenger.  As to whether it matters or not?  Regardless of the fruit that may or may not come of it, since the LORD askes it be done, that is sufficient.  The gospel message of repentance from sin and faith in Christ as one’s personal Savior is a message that will change a life.  It is a message the world needs to hear.  We need faithful messengers.  We do not need those who will halt for any reason or not show up at all.  We need faithful messengers who will not change the message just to make it more acceptable.  No fools needed.  Only the faithful.  You are in a battle whether you like it or not.  There is no option.  So, take up the conscript, pick up a stick, get on your horse, and ride.  Someone’s battle relies upon it.