Put a Watchman (missionary) on the City Wall

Let us read Isaiah 21: 6,7. "". . . Lord said to me, "Put a Watchman on the city wall. Let him shout out what he sees. He should look for chariots, drawn by pairs of horses, and for riders on donkeys and camels. Let the watchman be fully alert."" These are the things, which Lord God spoke to me during the New Year Service at Church. Lord wants me and you to do two things.
1. To put a watchman on the city wall.
2. To make the watchman fully alert.
Why to put a watchman?
How to put a watchman?
What are the roles and responsibilities of a watchman?
When will the watchman be fully alert?
How should we act to make the watchman fully alert?
Who is responsible to put a watchman and make him fully alert?

There was a godown, where grains like rice and wheat will be stored. A compound wall has been erected with a big gate to secure the godown in such a way, where no one can rob away the food grains or cause any kind of damages towards it. During the day time, the owner of the godown and his workers will be available at godown. But they will move to their homes at the end of the day, where no one will be available at godown during the night. Unfortunately, one day, some robbers has broken the gate and entered the godown and plundered all the food grains. The owner of the godown was not able to bear the losses made by the robbers. Then he appointed a watchman for the gate, who will be roaming inside the godown campus without any rest and sleep during the night. Then, there was no robbery towards the godown. Food grains are secured.

During the ancient times, the rulers as kings appointed watchman, where they will be standing at the top of watch towers near the city wall during the day and night. If they find a stranger or someone suspecting to make any damages to the nation, they will inform the king with a care and good intention to save the nation seeking the goodness of all the people. Thus the king will take immediate steps to protect the nation.

Even in our nation, we have Border Security Force (BSF), where they will be on watch on the borders of our nation to prevent the anti-national elements from entering into our country. Thus they will prevent the dangers like Mumbai Terror attack and so on. So a watchman is the first one to:
A) Identify the danger towards people.
B) Inform the identified danger towards the people to get prepared in such a way to prevent the danger and save the lives.

Why to put a watchman?

We should be safe. Our family, friends and nieghbours should be safe. The whole world should be safe. So we have to be protected. We need a peaceful atmosphere. We don't want anything to be lost. So we need a watchman.

When we look back to the mission history, we can identify the real watchmen, who were more alert and sacrificed their life, wealth and everything for us. There are hundreds of London Missionary Schools. There are many Christian colleges and mission hospitals with the name of missionaries, who came from other nations. While you go through the History of South Travancore, you may find the persecutions faced by our forefathers due to casteism by the upper caste and the sacrifice of the missionaries to abolish those things at the Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu.

Upper Cloth Controversy or Upper Cloth revolt. Women of lower caste were not allowed to wear clothes above the hip. The servant maid of missionary Rev.Charles Mead was punished by carrying coconut tree leaves towards the Padmanabhapuram Palace for elephants for wearing an upper cloth. The struggle first started in Kalkulam taluk. In May 1822, a few Nadar women went to the church covering the upper part of their body with a jacket. They were molested by the Nairs, their jackets were torn to pieces and filthy words were used against them. Retaliation proceeded from the Nadars. The missionary, Charles Mead reported the matter to the British Resident in Travancore. The Resident directed the Padbanabapuram Court to study the matter and report. The judgement came in favour of the Christians.
Referance: Reading
Referance: Reading

A pregnant woman has fallen sick, where she was not able to go to the farm of a rich man. So she was punished in such a way by being tied to the other end of the yoke along with oxen and was made to plough the land. That lady died.

All of us have heard about taxes related with land, house, commerce, income etc. Think of a time when tax was imposed on human organs. Such a time prevailed in erstwhile Travancore. Women belonging to lower castes were not allowed to cover their breast. If any one cherished to do it, she should have to pay a high amount as tax. This tax was called "Mulakkaram" (Breast Tax). Those ladies who violated the rule were brutally harassed and penalties were imposed on them. No lady was bold enough to challenge this injustice. During this time a lady called Nangeli of thirty five years, challenged this situation. Nangeli's mind was throbbing with hopes of living a life of freedom. She was determined to wear a cloth on her chest. The news immediately spread like wild fire. The village officer who was entitled to collect breast tax came to know about this. He rushed to Nangeli's house. Her husband Kandappan was not there. The Village Officer demanded tax for covering her breast. During that time, the custom was to serve money as breast tax on a plantain leaf, which was put behind a lighted lamp. Nangeli had followed all rituals. She wanted some time to bring the money and entered her room. Within seconds she came back - she had cut herself and brought the breast on plantain leaf. The Village officer shivered with fear. Suddenly Nangeli became unconscious and died within a few seconds before the lamp. Blood flowed around her body. By evening her body was brought to the pyre for cremation. As fire began to swallow Nangeli, Kandappan rushed to the spot. He failed to suppress his sorrow. He gave his life by jumping into the pyre of his beloved Nangeli. The place where their house is situated is still known as "Mulachiparambu" in Cherthala town. On the next day itself, the King of Travancore Sreemolam Thirunal issued a royal proclamation banning breast tax and allowed all lower caste women to cover their chest.
Referance: Reading

Missionaries sacrificed their life to get the right of wearing upper cloth for our ladies. Today, I feel very much shame on the way of dressing of our ladies, who has forgotten the sacrifice of missionaries, while they come to churches, even at the mega Pentecostal churches in Chennai.

Apostle Paul says, "" . . . the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved" Romans 10:1.

The longing people of other nations with soul winning thirst want you and me to be saved and they have sent lot of watchmen (missionaries), who were fully alert towards India.

How to put a watchman?

Do we know the mission needs of every state of India? Some mission burdened people have published some prayer diaries with the information of mission needs across various states of India for the purpose of contributing prayer support. We can search the information over website also.

Jesus says, "". . . The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields." Matthew 9:37,38.

Why the workers are few?

How many of us knew the sacrifice of our missionaries, who laid down their life in our native village. How many of us revealed the sacrifice of those missionaries to our own children and to the present younger generation. What was the effort of our churches to reveal the mission history to the believers and members of our church? As a born again Christian, what has been done by us, to reveal the sacrifice of missionaries towards the world. How many mission retreats have been conducted in a district within a year? Have we ever conducted any awareness programmes revealing the mission opportunities across the globe? How many missionaries have been raised by us from our family, church, Sunday school, prayer cells, Bible study fellowships and so on. Have we ever gone to a mission field? Where are we?

Have we ever prayed to the Lord, "to send more workers into his fields". Do we have the real concern for the Lord's mission in putting up watchmen? What was done by us in raising missionaries? Do you feel that putting money as offerings for God is enough? Our God is not the one, who is crazy on money like a poor beggar. How many minutes, we spent for the Lord for a day, in raising up missionaries? How many hours we are in facebook, orkut and so on?

Not to blame anyone. But to realize ourselves, where we are in the Lord's mission work?

Jesus says, " " . . . I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28: 18 – 20.

How should we act to make the watchman fully alert?

We may have an idea to check the watchman, whether he is sleeping or be active and attentive in his duty? It's nothing wrong. Blaming the watchman is easy, but we should also identify the factors which makes a watchman to sleep and become inactive.

Watchman is an also a human being, who has the same feelings as we have. Are we regular and perfect in sending our contributions promised for missionary family support? In a mission organization the salary of a missionary family is only Rs.2,000. Sometimes, the fuel bill for our car for a day is Rs.2,000. With that small amount, they have to meet all their expenses for food, cloth, children's education, medical needs, travel and so on. If our children are missionaries in the same category, how do we render our support? Where are we in supporting missionaries?

Paul says ""Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little." 2 Corinthians 8 : 13-15

Again Paul says, ""Now about the collection for the Lord's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me." 1 Corinthians 16 : 1-4

It doesn't mean that a financial support alone is enough for a missionary. A missionary has left his family at native town and stays in a far distant location for the sake of Lord's mission. He too will fall home sick and emotionally disturbed with eagerness to see their parents and co-born. Do we have the practice of sending letter or emails or sms towards them to encourage them frequently? Why not we make phone calls to them and express our sincere care and affection towards them. Over phone, the moment you say that we are praying for you, your family, health and ministries, they will forget all their burdens and worries and get charged with happiness and better strength. Why not we meet their mission fields along with our family and friends, during vacation?

It's our own duty to put a watchman on the city wall. It's our own responsibility to identify the cities without watchman. It's our own duty to send missionaries for the unreached areas. It's our own liability to send and raise support towards mission works, so that our watchman/missionary will be fully alert and active on winning souls.

Where are we in putting up watchmen and making them to be fully alert?

If our Lord God speaks to you, why not you prayerfully decide your part of support, physically, financially, spiritually in putting up watchmen and making them to be fully alert, to win the perishing souls for the expansion of Lord's Kingdom.

Let me know your opinions, if God spoke to you.

May God bless you. Amen.

About the Author
Hubertson T
The President,
Commission for Legal Education, Advocacy and Research on Community Development (CLEARCD)
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