Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
“But there is another kind of suffering, known only to the Christian: it is voluntary suffering deliberately and knowingly incurred for the sake of Christ. Such is a luxury, a treasure of fabulous value, a source of riches beyond the power of the mind to conceive. And it is rare as well as precious, for there are few in this decadent age who will of their own choice go down into this dark mine looking for jewels. But of our own choice it must be, for there is no other way to get down. God will not force us into this kind of suffering; He will not lay this cross upon us nor embarrass us with riches we do not want.
Such riches are reserved for those who apply to serve in the legion of the expendables who love not their lives unto the death, who volunteer to suffer for Christ’s sake and who follow up their application with lives that challenge the devil and invite the fury of hell. Such as these have said goodbye to the world’s toys; they have chosen to suffer affliction with the people of God; they have accepted toil and suffering as their earthly portion. The marks of the cross are upon them and they are known in heaven and in hell.”
A.W. Tozer in “The Use of Suffering” in The Root of the Righteous (1955) 75.
Today marks Veteran’s Day when America give thanks for those who have served in the military. I am grateful for their service. People who are dear to me (too many to list) number among the ranks.
But I also want to point us to another group of unsung heroes today. They have no holiday. These are the guys and gals who “chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things” as Paul put it in 1 Corinthians.
These are, in the words of A.W. Tozer, “the legion of the expendables.” They love not their lives unto death but volunteer their service to God. I work with them all over the world with GTP.
Want to join this legion?
Tozer says this group says “goodbye to the world’s toys” and instead chooses to suffer “affliction with the people of God.” In so doing, they discover not loss, but rather, unfathomable gain.
Who are the people of God?
Most people wrongly define this as brothers and sisters in their country. As we move to 1 Corinthians (I am working through his letters chronologically), it is now A.D. 54 and Paul is in Roman Asia.
He is from Tarsus, sitting in Ephesus, and writing to Greece. The people of God are an international people. This “legion of the expendables” is a global community willing to sacrifice all for Christ.
Do you number among the ranks of this group?
If we want to boast about anything in this life, anything at all, let us boast in the Lord. In Him are fabulous riches. Any sacrifice for Him results in treasure of incomparable value.
I also salute “the legion of the expendables” today. God be with you all over the globe.