Acts
9:25--referring to the Apostle Paul's escape from those who wanted to
kill him in Damascus--states that they "let him down by the wall in a
basket." Did you ever wonder who "they" were? Who were those rope
holders? After all, what would the early church have done without those
rope holders, without Paul?
And what do we know about them? Not much. We don't even know their names. Talk about a bunch of nobodies. No earthly recognition would ever be theirs.
Why did they do it? Who was Paul to them? They hadn't known him very long; yet, they risked their lives to help him escape. They saw a need in a time of great danger, and they acted, with little regard for the cost. There could only have been one motivation: love. And not necessarily for Paul. No, love for Christ was the motivation. Whatever their sacrifice cost them, the price was nothing compared to the debt of love they owed their Savior.
How long did they hold the rope? Until the job was done. Can you imagine the fix Paul would have been in if they had decided to quit when he was halfway down the wall? I also have a sneaky suspicion that they didn't stand around and argue about how to let the rope down or who was going to stand where. They just put their shoulders and hands to the task. No complainers or "glory-hogs" in that bunch. And they didn't have the slightest idea what Paul would one day become. His ministry didn't actually start for another decade. Some of them may have died never knowing.
God still needs rope holders. The people behind the scenes who aren't afraid of the dirty work, even if they never get any recognition or earthly reward. Simple men and women content to be unknown and so full of the love of Christ that they automatically respond to the needs, both great and small, of those around them. And they don't quit until the job is done.
Would you like to be a rope holder? All you need to do is find someone with a need. There may be one or two people like that around. Then, help them with their "basket" and their "wall." Is it worth it? Well, every person that Paul's life touched could trace his "lifeline" back to the end of that rope. If you've been blessed by his epistles, one of those lives is yours. Fairly important basket, don't you think? Vital spiritual occupation this rope holding stuff. Care to join in? Grad a needy hand--and don't let go.
And what do we know about them? Not much. We don't even know their names. Talk about a bunch of nobodies. No earthly recognition would ever be theirs.
Why did they do it? Who was Paul to them? They hadn't known him very long; yet, they risked their lives to help him escape. They saw a need in a time of great danger, and they acted, with little regard for the cost. There could only have been one motivation: love. And not necessarily for Paul. No, love for Christ was the motivation. Whatever their sacrifice cost them, the price was nothing compared to the debt of love they owed their Savior.
How long did they hold the rope? Until the job was done. Can you imagine the fix Paul would have been in if they had decided to quit when he was halfway down the wall? I also have a sneaky suspicion that they didn't stand around and argue about how to let the rope down or who was going to stand where. They just put their shoulders and hands to the task. No complainers or "glory-hogs" in that bunch. And they didn't have the slightest idea what Paul would one day become. His ministry didn't actually start for another decade. Some of them may have died never knowing.
God still needs rope holders. The people behind the scenes who aren't afraid of the dirty work, even if they never get any recognition or earthly reward. Simple men and women content to be unknown and so full of the love of Christ that they automatically respond to the needs, both great and small, of those around them. And they don't quit until the job is done.
Would you like to be a rope holder? All you need to do is find someone with a need. There may be one or two people like that around. Then, help them with their "basket" and their "wall." Is it worth it? Well, every person that Paul's life touched could trace his "lifeline" back to the end of that rope. If you've been blessed by his epistles, one of those lives is yours. Fairly important basket, don't you think? Vital spiritual occupation this rope holding stuff. Care to join in? Grad a needy hand--and don't let go.
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