You are totally normal if some sort of positive affirmation for a job well done is life-giving and satisfying to you. Conversely, you might feel hurt when you work diligently in some way, and no one thanks you or even notices your efforts. That’s just human nature.
As I look at the first verses of chapter one of Acts, I wonder who Theophilus (“Loved by God”) was and why Dr. Luke thanks him. Most Bible scholars think that he might have been a Greek official of some sort because of the word “excellent” in front of his name. It’s also believed that he may have been the person who “funded” the writing of Luke’s Gospel as well as Acts.
Of all the New Testament writers, Luke wrote the most, comprising over 27 percent. Paul wrote more books, but even if he wrote the entire book of Hebrews (most scholars do not believe he did), he still wouldn’t have written as much as Dr. Luke. The Apostle John is in third place for total amount of words written in the NT. Remember that there were no “books” at this point, but rather long rolled up scrolls. A scroll long enough to contain all the words of Acts would measure between 32 and 36 feet. The materials alone for this kind of document might cost between 5 to even 10 thousand dollars in today’s currency. And that is before any professional scribe began the painstaking process of inscribing the text onto the scroll.
A quick google search said that the cost of producing a completed scroll of Acts might be as high as 50,000 dollars! And according to Dr. Luke, Theophilus may have funded the production of both his Gospel and Acts, doubling that amount! So, thank God for Theophilus! We know nothing else about him, but I imagine in the Kingdom of God, he is highly respected for the crucial role he played in the writing down of the very Word of God!
Dr. Luke thanked Theophilus in print, but did not waste precious scroll space “singing his praises”, and I have a feeling that this is exactly as Theophilus wanted it.
What about you and me? Have you ever done something for the Lord or for his people that seemed to go unnoticed? Have you ever helped someone who was in need and instead of being thanked, you felt taken advantage of and forgotten? Or perhaps your ministry is “behind the scenes” and you sometimes wonder if you are making a difference. Be encouraged today. Do what you can do for the Lord with all your passion and God will be glorified. Even if you don’t get much credit for it on this side of eternity, you can be sure there will someday be people lining up in Heaven to hug and thank you for your faithfulness!
Pray right now: Father, your Son, our Lord Jesus, told us that You will “reward us openly” for those things we do “in secret.” Please reward our behind-the-scenes ministries by using them to bring people to confess Jesus as Lord publicly. No matter what you call us to do, please remind us that success in life and ministry is not in the fleeting and fickle praise of people but in your eternal loving affirmation; “Well done, my good and faithful servant…enter into the Joy of Your Lord.” In the name of Jesus, amen.
Comments