In Roman times, the term bondservant or slave could refer to someone who voluntarily served others.

The Hebrew word for “bondservant,” ‘ebed’, had a similar connotation. However, the Mosaic Law allowed an indentured servant to become a bondservant voluntarily: “If the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life” (Exodus 21:5-6).

A couple days ago we sat down with these two brothers and our translator and did a video regarding some aspects of their lives and their relationship with God.  These two brothers have amazed me with their humble service to God.  They often provide the labor behind the scenes of various church functions and help other church members.  They are always ready to serve in ANY capacity with smiles on their faces and a thankful heart to be in service to our Lord.

I would call these two bondservants of Christ.  They demonstrate with their lives total surrender to His direction and to the service of the body, always with joy. It is not a matter of how they want to serve, but rather, what needs to be done.  Some people say, “I can do this for the church”, rather than I am here as a servant to do what needs to be done.  They are the latter.

They have had a very difficult life.  There were nine children in the family and often a shortage of food.  No new clothes, never any toys, sometimes going without shoes, but worse of all, seeing and hearing their mother be beaten by their father.  Their father was openly unfaithful to their mother, bring shame to her.  All they knew was work from when they were old enough to do so.

 When they got old enough they tried to talk their mother into leaving their father and they argued that they would do the work to buy food and other necessities.  Their mother scolded them for suggesting this and said that she was praying for their father to accept the Lord and that they should do so, too.  She never left him.  She passed away 17 years ago.

Because of her faithfulness to the Lord and the example that she lived, the Lord blessed her.  All of her children are now believers.  Two of the brothers are pastors.  Their father is still alive and they still visit him and pray that the Lord will open his heart.

These two young men have reason to have hatred in their hearts.  They could have become bitter toward God and blamed Him for the suffering their mother endured.  But that is not the case.  They have forgiven their father realizing he is a slave to sin and they pray for him continuously.

Even now their life is a struggle.  They both are married.  Their wives are sisters (biologically as well as spiritually).  They each have three children.  One earns about $35 per week and the other about $50 per weeks.  They live in homes with dirt floors.  They have very little.  But you would never know it to talk to them.  They are full of joy.  You would think they were rich; and they are, with the love of our Lord.

Both of them are leaders in the church.  They both lead home Bible studies.  I have gone on a couple outreaches with the older brother sharing the Gospel.  They have both worked for us on the farm. 

They are in a very good group of people; Paul, James, Simon Peter, and Jude are all called or call themselves bondservants.

They are examples to us of what a true bondservant is.  When you are in their presence you sense the joy that is in their hearts and they reflect the love of our Lord.  Our lives have been enriched and challenged by their example.

P.S. To watch the interview follow the links bellow:
            David and Everth Interview
     

For His glory,
Stephen Goff
N-Response2.com
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