Revived Through Service

I read about one occasion when Sadhu Sundar Singh and a companion were traveling through a pass high in the Himalayan Mountains. At one point they came across a body lying in the snow. Sundar Singh wished to stop and help the unfortunate man, but his companion refused, saying, “We shall lose our lives if we burden ourselves with him.”

But Sundar Singh would not think of leaving the man to die in the ice and snow. As his companion made his farewell, Sundar Singh lifted the poor traveler onto his back. With great exertion on his part, he bore the man onward, but gradually the heat from Singh’s body began to warm up the beleaguered frozen fellow, and he revived. Soon both were walking together side by side. Catching up with his former companion, they found him dead – frozen by the cold.

In the case of Sundar Singh, he was willing to lose his life on behalf of another, and in the process, found it; but in the case of his companion who sought only his own well-being, he only lost it.

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Another version by Rev. Mark Murphy, in Kerux Sermon #17548:

You’re probably not familiar with the name Sadhu Sundar Singh, but if you were a Christian believer living in India then this name would be revered in your heart and in your mind. He is regarded by many to be the greatest Christian leader India has ever produced. He was the Billy Graham of his day in India — a powerful and effective evangelist. To this day, Christians around the world consider him to be the epitome of Christian life and example.

Let me tell you a story about Sadhu Sundar Singh. On one occasion, he and a companion were traveling through a rather treacherous stretch of the Himalayan Mountains. As they were making their way through a narrow pass high in the mountains, suddenly they stumbled across a body lying in the snow.

It was a man — still alive — but barely. Sundar Singh wanted to stop and help this poor unfortunate soul, but his companion refused. He said, “If we stop and help this man he’ll become a burden to us. He will slow us down and we’ll lose our lives.”

But Sundar Singh would not even think of leaving this man alone to die in the snow and the ice. He said to his companion, “Go, if you must, but I must help this man.” So his companion shook his head, waved goodbye and made his way on ahead while Sundar Singh lifted this poor fallen man onto his back and made his way through the snow and the ice.

It was a heavy load. It was exhausting. It was all Sundar Singh could do to bear this man onward…but gradually the heat from Sundar Singh’s body began to warm up this poor frozen fellow and he revived. Soon both were walking together side-by-side. And as they trekked through the snow, they soon caught up with Sundar Singh’s former companion — but he was dead, frozen by the cold.

I can’t give you a better picture of what it means to be in ministry. When we reach out to help other people in ministry, our hearts are warmed, our spirits are quickened, our lives are rejuvenated, and we are blessed as much as the recipients of our ministry.

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #7077]