Serving Faithfully In Lean Times

I have a special respect for those who continue to serve God in the lean times of life.  It is always easier for us to praise God while standing upon the lofty mountain tops of life but it is the valley where our faith is forged.  It is tempting to think that God changes His will for us every 2-3 years, just when things get rough.  Compared to so many of our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ serving around the world I have experienced great bounty even in my leanest times.  However, ten years of bi-vocational ministry while struggling to make a living, gave me a great appreciation for those who have been willing to say "no" to the things of this world and find their sufficiency in the riches of Christ.

One great example of this type of faithfulness is found in the early years of Southern Seminary.  Amidst the Civil War economic downfall of the southern states in 1865 was a striving faculty of a new seminary hoping to survive.  During one 12 month period the four faithful professors received no fiscal salary and yet they all made a commitment with one another that they would not quit.  Although they were repeatedly offered more prestigious positions (with actual salaries) at other schools and in secular employment, they stayed true to their call.  James Petigru Boyce was urged to accept the presidency of the South Carolina Railroad Company at a yearly salary of $10,000.  I am no expert on computing inflationary values, but I think this would be equivalent to about $400,000 today (or more when considering the deflated economy of the South at that time).  I would have been tempted to justify leaving my position at Southern by thinking about how much financial good I could do with the new salary.  Not Boyce.  He responded, "Thank these gentlemen for me, but tell them I must decline, as I have decided to devote my life, if need be, to building up the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary."

The names Boyce, Broadus, Manly, and Williams live as representations of faith in the lean times of life.  These four professors covenanted together that they would die or the seminary would die, but they would not quit.  And they didn't.  Today SBTS is producing many pastors and missionaries because there once were four men who were willing to serve God faithfully in the lean times of life.  May we do the same.