Hero to Servant
My view of a hero has changed completely over the years. Early in my life, NBA legends Larry Bird and Dr J found themselves atop my list of my childhood heroes, but in 2011 as I watched my father battle daily against cancer, that list changed forever.
In March of 2011, David Bostwick, my father won his greatest victory as he went to see Jesus face to face. Dad taught me so many successful things over his lifetime, usually by his actions since he was a man of few words. It was in his death and while looking back at his life, that I realized what a humble servant dad had been to mom, my sister, and me. He went to work early around 5 am both in the cold and the heat, usually driving an hour one way, and getting home late in an old work truck. He did that daily for as long as I could remember. Why? For the sole servants purpose of giving me and my sister a better life than he was given, so that we could chase dreams he was never given the opportunity to pursue. Even on his death bed, he made a video thanking my players for making his son a champion and reminding them about Jesus dying for their sins.
In 2012, God brought another humble hero into my life by the name of David Leatherberry. A 70 year old missionary, along with his lovely wife Julie, had answered the call to be missionaries to the Middle East for over 40 years. David became another father figure to me as I learned even more about what it looked like to be a humble servant of God over someone the world would consider a hero. Early in life, David had wanted to coach, that was before he heard the call of God on his life to go the Middle East to serve God as a missionary. I am sure just as I did, you are wondering, “How could someone give up their dream of coaching to go to an area of the world that seems so against accepting Jesus as their Savior?” Spend one day with David Leatherberry and he just might convince you otherwise!
Despite what many would say is a small number of recorded salvations over 40 years serving in the Middle East, David and Julie continue to go back sharing God’s love with the beautiful people of the Muslim world. I have never met two people in person with with greater servants hearts.
One year ago, on December 7th, another super-servant, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke was welcomed home as the humble champion he was. I can only imagine the celebration in Heaven on that day! In 79 years on the earth, Bonnke’s Christ For All Nations ministry recorded 79 million documented salvations. How many recorded salvations are tagged by your name each year of your life?
A young man born into Hitler’s Nazi Germany, who spent much of his young life in a prison camp, Reinhard felt called by God as a young child to serve God in Africa. From that day forward, Reinhard was a servant on a mission. I can listen to him for hours upon hours preach the Gospel! There is just something special about the way he presents the Gospel.
If you were looking to the world to identify someone this successful in the game of basketball, then you would compare him to Lebron James, Allen Iverson, or Paul Pierce. You might even give him a nickname like King James, The Answer, or The Truth. I am positive the humble Bonnke would never allow anyone to give him a nickname as such. Some called Bonnke “the Billy Graham of Africa”. I am sure he was humbled by that, but he preferred the Combine-Harvester! Now that is a nickname!
Once a newspaper attacked Bonnke spreading a lot of lies. Bonnke spoke of the incident. “My friends urged me to respond. But when I started to pray the Lord spoke to me. ‘You are my harvest-worker. Don’t stop the combine-harvester just to catch a mouse!’
Based on sheer numbers, no doubt, you would hear plenty of GOAT talk on social media about Bonnke. Surely a mega church could have lured Bonnke away from Africa to a more financially lucrative and safer working environment away from the third world challenges. This is like Dirk Norwitzki choosing to go play in a professional league in Angola over coming to play in Dallas for the Mavs. That is the difference in someone seeking Hero status compared to someone seeking to become a Servant of God.
What if the Bible were identifying Renhard Bonnke? Would he be listed in the Hebrews Hall of Fame chapter? If danger were a prerequisite, then he qualified. He faced many Old Testament level life threatening challenges in the Muslim dominant countries of Northern Africa. David Leatherberry faced these same deadly risk in Afghanistan. David and Reinhard also answered the call to the great commission of the New Testament. They never hesitated to go into all the world to share the Gospel and to serve unconditionally.
As Bonnke’s health declined in his later years, he made sure his ministry to Africa was handed to an anointed successor in Daniel Kalinda. Reinhard continued to Evangelize his entire life even after moving to south Florida. One of the decree’s he echoed many times in his last few years is one that I claim often, “AMERICA SHALL BE SAVED!”
Reihard and Leatherberry both walk in rare faith and God honored that faith with an anointing only given to His chosen Servants! The highest title of tribute you could give a person in the Old Testament was to call him “the servant of Yahweh” (‘ebed YHVH). The Hebrew word for servant, eber, denotes “God given authority as the accredited messengers of the Lord.”
The servant of the LORD was one who was chosen by Yahweh.
Check out who the Bible decrees as Servants of God.
Abraham is the first to be called the “servant” of the Lord. Moses is called “the servant of the Lord” more often than anyone else in the Old Testament. “Moses the servant of Yahweh” is almost the official title of Moses. Joshua, Moses “servant,” who led Israel into the Promised Land was also called “the servant of the LORD”. Caleb and King David are both called the servant of the Lord. Isaiah, Elijah, and Job are all called the Servants of God. What a list!
Oddly enough even Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon was called “My servant”. The old Babylonian king thought he was king of the hill, but in reality, he was only an instrument in the hands of God.
In Jeremiah 7:25, The LORD speaks of His prophets saying, “I have sent you all My servants the prophets”. All of God’s servants, the prophets, speak of the coming of Jesus Christ the true Servant of the LORD. The angel of the LORD called the coming Messiah a “Servant.” “Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you, indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch” in Zechariah 3:8.
The LORD declares to Isaiah the coming of this same person when he says: “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1). The Suffering Servant of the LORD is perhaps the highest title in the Old Testament for God’s Anointed One.
As God’s servant Jesus did what Israel could not do. Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 and says the prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus, the Servant of Yahweh, who does the will of His Father perfectly. This lowly Servant was exalted and given a name above every name. Jesus Christ is the perfect fulfilment of the Servant of the Lord.
God loves using the humblest of servants to do his mightiest work.
What amazing examples of humble servants are my father, David Leatherberry, and Reinhard Bonnke! Reinhard went to heaven encouraging us all to prepare for the upcoming great harvest in America. I am still blessed to have David Leatherberry as part of my life. Yea, he is a hero of mine, but much greater than that, He is a Servant of God!
Photo by Fernando Venzano on Unsplash