Thought for the Week: The need to be given equal reward and respect

An enemy attacked David’s camp and carried off persons and possessions treasured by David.

Eventually, David retrieved all intact, but faced a challenge among his followers. Those who went after the enemy wanted greater reward than those who stayed guarding the camp.

David ruled: “As his part is that goeth down to the battle so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff.” This phrase contained a deep truth: “He that tarrieth by the stuff”.

In David’s camp there were two groupings - those went to battle and those who kept guard behind the scenes and supported the frontline achievers. In all causes, sacred and profane, these two groupings are still with us. In David’s ruling and in God’s economy, both are worthy of equal reward and respect.

St Paul paid tribute to such servants of the Master: “Those who were in Christ before me”. In Romans chapter 16, the Apostle Paul concludes his epistle listing 26 ordinary members who were veritable — “Tarriers by the stuff”.

Readers, I will safely assert that the fellowship of which you are a member has been faithfully served by generations who did their work without being given due appreciation. Indeed, the world never seeks out such loyal servants and often careerist churchmen and women take their contribution for granted.

But our Saviour God knows who they are and their reward is assured. As the Spiritual has it: “He’ll find me hoeing cotton when He comes”.

In our Lord’s parable of the talents, it is important to note that the man who was given two talents and gained two talents more was commended in the same language as the man who was given five and attained five.

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