Starting Right
Starting Right is a 5 minute Day Starter to help keep you motivated, encouraged, and focused throughout your day. DannyMac is a pastor, teacher, motivational speaker, husband, and father. His years of leading and training people have given him vast experience in helping individuals to accomplish change in their lives and meet their goals. He can help you set the course for your day by offering practical advice from God's Word in a positive and fun way. There is no better way to begin your day than by Starting Right with DannyMac.
Starting Right
Behind the Scenes Heroes
Have you ever watched a movie's end credits and been astounded by the sheer number of people who contributed behind the scenes? That's exactly the experience that sparked today's devotional reflection on the unsung heroes of the early church.
Drawing from Colossians 4, we explore three faithful servants who were crucial to Paul's ministry yet rarely receive the spotlight in our modern discussions of biblical figures. These men—Tychicus, Onesimus, and Aristarchus—each played distinctive roles that demonstrate how the gospel advances through many hands working together.
Feeling unsure about your place in God's plan? Take heart knowing that He has specifically equipped you for your unique contribution. Join us tomorrow as we continue discovering how to start each day right with purpose and divine perspective!
Good morning and welcome to Starting Right with Danny Mac. I'm going to be here every Monday to Friday to help you get a great five-minute start to your day. So grab your cup of coffee, sit back, relax and let me help you start your day right. I was watching a movie the other night and I did something that I rarely do. At the end of the movie I actually watched all of the credits and I was astounded to see the number of people that were involved in making this film, that were doing so many different things behind the scenes that helped to put it together. It just sort of blew my mind to think that it took that many people to create the film that I just watched. And it wasn't because it was a bad movie. No, it was a good movie but there were so many people involved behind the scenes that it was just absolutely astounding.
Speaker 1:It wasn't long after that, I pulled out my Bible and was reading through the book of Colossians and I came to chapter 4. And in that last part of chapter 4, paul brings what my Bible calls the final greeting, and in these greetings he mentions three characters. Let me just read it to you. It's chapter 4, starting in verse 7 of the book of Colossians he says Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and a fellow servant in the Lord. I'm sending him to you for the express about those first three guys Tychicus, onesimus and Aristarchus. Paul lists these guys because they are important to him in his ministry, yet we know very little about them. They are the guys who are behind the scenes. In a lot of cases they didn't get to stand in the spotlight like Paul or Peter or James or John. They were not part of the spotlight crowd. No, these were the guys who were working behind the scenes and yet they are important to Paul and they're important to the ministry of the gospel. Let's look at how these men impacted Paul's ministry.
Speaker 1:First there was Tychicus. Tychicus was doing a very specific and important job. He was going to deliver personal news about Paul, as well as Paul's letter to the church in Colossae. The gospel was continuing to be spread because of the faithfulness of Tychicus. Then there's Onesimus. His name actually means useful, but as a slave, his master Philemon thought he was useless. And yet Paul commended Onesimus as a faithful and dearly loved brother, saying to the church that he is one of you, and by doing so, paul was declaring the universality of the gospel message that there is no one who is ineligible to receive the forgiveness and grace of Christ, and when they receive that, they automatically become our brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter where they're from or what they look like, or the color of their skin or their background None of that matters. We are all part of the body of Christ.
Speaker 1:Then there was Aristarchus. Aristarchus was a prisoner along with Paul, so he was Paul's companion in the suffering in his ministry. When we're going through suffering in our lives, we need people around us who will be there for us. Aristarchus may have had to be there, but he didn't have to be an encouragement to Paul. But in the middle of his suffering he chose to be an encourager and gave Paul strength in what he was doing.
Speaker 1:We often talk about fulfilling God's call in our lives and sometimes we think that means that we're going to be up front, doing all the up front things and making the big decisions and drawing the big crowds for evangelism or teaching great congregations. That's not what it is. Just as in the movies, there are far more people behind the scenes who are necessary in order to be able to make it come together. We know that within the body of Christ, it works much the same way. The number of people behind the scenes supporting, encouraging and praying for those who are in the spotlight, who are the leaders that's what really is important and right now it's really important that we pray for our Christian leaders. They's what really is important and right now it's really important that we pray for our Christian leaders. They need strength to continue to declare God's Word. They need strength and wisdom to know how to live right and declare what is only truth. They need God's hand on them to protect them and shield them from attacks, and God has called each one of us to be a part of that.
Speaker 1:Maybe we're just one of those behind-the-scenes guys. Maybe we're simply the ones that are helping to carry the message. Maybe we are the ones who are feeling sort of left out, that we really don't belong, but we do belong. Maybe we are prepared to be with our Christian brothers and sisters as they are suffering. They're going through difficult times and we are here to encourage and hold them up and to bless them and be with them.
Speaker 1:You may not know what your role is, but God does, and he will help you find your place so that you know what part you have to play in God's great and beautiful plan for the building of His kingdom. God's got exciting stuff for each one of us, and I'm so grateful that when we look at what he is leading us into, we never have to doubt that he will produce something good if we are faithful to Him. Have a great day, my friends. Remember that you are an important part of God's plan and we will talk again tomorrow. Thank you for listening today and I invite you to join me Monday to Friday, right here on, starting Right with Danny Mac.
