Who Is Unimportant?

When I was a kid, because I was chubby, I was often one of the last ones to be picked for the backyard football game. Depending on how the team leader was feeling that day, I might walk away feeling unimportant.

But recently I was reminded of an important Christian principle.

Let me tell you are real, truthful story and the principle.

INTRO

The story begins at 11:30 a.m., August 3rd, 1991. My wife and I were getting married in Searcy, Arkansas, by “Coach” Hugh Groover. It was a wonderful wedding, but “Coach” could not attend our reception. When we asked why, he told us that he needed to prepare for another wedding he was doing about 2:00 that same afternoon at the Camp Wyldewood Retreat Center. My wife later that day told me her friend, whom I will call “Pat,” was also getting married that same day.

Now, skip forward to September 2021. Timeless Talks had been founded and the website was online. We attend the Harding University Lectureship to pass out business cards for Timeless Talks. We also attended a World Bible School luncheon. My wife recognized her friend, Pat. We sat down to eat with “Charlie & Pat”, which was my first time to learn about Charlie. Charlie has an unusual disease that keeps him in a motorized scooter, but is a highly patient online World Bible School teacher. He worked for more than 6 years with a high-level autistic student from England, who now joins our weekly lessons with Christians in India.

Now, skip forward to late summer 2025. Timeless Talks has a pair of fellow-Christians that we will call Jack & Jill. They operate a repurpose and resale shop. They have often received Bibles, but donate the New King James Version, New American Standard, and English Standard Versions to Timeless Talks.

In late summer, they donated a top-quality, brand-new New King James Bible, still in the original box. The box was not even scuffed. We gladly accepted such a generous donation.

Then, in late September, we received a request for a Bible from a man in Brooklyn, New York. In about 5 business days, “Brooklyn” received his top-quality, brand-new, still-in-the-box, New King James Bible. He was so excited. He let us know he had received it, took pictures of it and sent them to his family in Sierre Leon, in west Africa. He told us he was reading it every day. His joy was contagious!

Since we knew that Brooklyn was reading his Bible frequently, we contacted him again. This time, we offered him a FREE online Bible correspondence course. Like all our offers, he was under no obligation. We just made him an offer. He had no delay. He said “Yes”.

Would YOU like a FREE online Bible correspondence course? You can have it IF you will do what Brooklyn did. Again, call or text the phone number you see here. Tell us you want the free course and give us your email address and phone number. We will get you started.

Once Brooklyn had given us the necessary information, and with permission, I contacted Charlie, my friend who does these online courses. I gave him Brooklyn’s information. Since that time, Brooklyn has been very active in his course, doing very well.

Then, a few days ago, I had a sudden illness that put me in the Emergency Room. I received excellent care, but it was quite lengthy due to multiple blood work tests that were essential. I realized that my usual Tuesday morning class with students in INDIA was not going to happen, and I contacted the Indian preacher to cancel the class.  I also needed to let Charlie know about the problem.

But Charlie told Brooklyn about my illness. The next day, I learned that Brooklyn had messaged me on the phone number you have been seeing. He was asking about my health and praying for me.

Suddenly, I realized what God had accomplished. Brooklyn’s growing interest in God and his faith is growing. How was it happening?

Which link in this complex event was unimportant? Was it Jack & Jill? Was it Charlie? Was it Me? Was the connection between Jack & Jill and Timeless Talks unimportant? Or was it the connection between Charlie and Timeless Talks? And what had brought Brooklyn to finding Timeless Talks and the opportunity at a free Bible? Which is unimportant?

You are right. ALL OF THEM ARE IMPORANT.

And that is the point of this video.

EVERYONE CAN BE IMPORTANT. Many everyday members of congregations simply do as God tells them in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. “Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do.  (2)  On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”  They were told to give to God at every Sunday assembly. Every giver is important.

Today, many congregations take the funds collected on Sunday and give support to worthy efforts for good. Several give support to Timeless Talks. Plus, some individuals give additional money to God’s works, like Timeless Talks. They are important too.

And what about those who give Bibles or tracts for us to send out? They are important, too!

It is just like God said. Ephesians 4:15-16 “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,  (16)  from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”

EVERYONE who does even the little things is important. The people who keep up the social media sites. The people who fold and stuff letters for a big mailing. Everyone can be important. Paul wrote, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  (7)  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  (8)  He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.  (9)  For we are God’s fellow workers….”

Even this week, I have been visiting with many preachers and leaders of congregations, making plans to visit them with the Timeless Talks story. Each individual in every decision process is important TO YOU! All of the workers at Timeless Talks hope YOU are benefiting from our “seed sowing” and “watering”.

YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD AND HIS WORK. Thanks for giving us a few minutes of your time. Until we can visit again, goodbye for now.