Not Famous Yet Important

Let's have a simple Guessing Game!
What do you think all of these items have in common?

• A rivet on the hull of the RMS Titanic
• The steel tyre on a wheel of a train in Eschede, Germany
• A valve in a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India

Your guess: all are industrial components? (Well, let's take it deeper, a more insightful one.)
Perhaps, all are machine parts that were broken? (Hmm.. You're now close to the right answer!)

By the way, for your information, the items above happened to be one of the Deadliest Disasters in the world:

• the sinking of the famous Titanic where more than two-thirds of the 2,224 passengers and crew died; 
• the derailment of a Deutsche Bahn train in Germany where 101 people died;
• the gas leak in an industrial plant in India where an approximately 8,000 died within just two weeks and an additional of 8,000 or more also died from diseases caused by these poisonous gases.

Still don't know what's common among all of them?

The rivet, the steel wheel tyre, and the valve are all "just plain and common" materials, yet so important that a negligence, either consciously or unconsciously, on the part of a Maintenance Officer would mean a catastrophic disaster! Furthermore, these insignificant materials only caught so much attention from the public right after when their respective incidents had already occurred.

Recently, the Philippines has witnessed losing a "not-so-famous" hero. The former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo died in a plane that crashed off the coast of Masbate on the afternoon of August 18, 2012.

As Wikipedia narrates:

In 1988, Robredo was elected mayor of Naga City at age 29, the youngest mayor in Philippine history. His three terms as mayor ended on June 30, 1998. He was again elected as City Mayor in 2001 and finished his second three terms on June 30, 2010. He served for a total of nineteen (19) years as Naga City Mayor before being appointed on July 9, 2010 as Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Goverment (DILG). Robredo was able to transform Naga City from being dull and lethargic to being one of the "Most Improved Cities in Asia," as cited by Asiaweek Magazine in 1999.

During his time in city hall, Robredo was credited for "dramatically improved stakeholdership and people participation in governance, in the process restoring Naga to its preeminent position as premier city of the Bicol Region." In 1995, in recognition of his skills and competence as a leader and development manager, Robredo was elected President of the League of Cities of the Philippines, the national association of city mayors. Robredo also chairs the Metro Naga Development Council." He served as chairman of the Regional Development Council, the regional planning and coordinative body of Bicol's six provinces and seven cities, from 1992 to 1998.

Honestly, before the incident, the name "Jesse Robredo" does not ring a bell for me. Ironically, only after his tragic death that his great and humble works were recognized. Imagine, the youngest mayor at the age of 29! Also, I was quite amazed to know that a simple guy could get so much approval from his neighborhood that he was elected as mayor and served for a total of six terms!

Wikipedia also narrates:

In recognition of his achievements as Naga City mayor, Robredo was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2000, the first Filipino mayor so honored.

Indeed, the whole nation is grieving because we lost a very important person.
Kudos to you Secretary Jesse Robredo for a job well done, an exemplary servant leader!

Actually, the Bible also has an example of an important person yet not famous at all!

Okay, have you heard of the name "King David"? (Well.. Of course, he is a very famous character, the one who defeated the giant Goliath with a pebble and a sling shot!)

Hmm.. How about the name "Ittai, the Gittite"? (Duh.. Who is that?)

Let me give you a brief background of what's happening at that time.

David was the king of Israel by that time. However, his son - Absalom, deceitfully plotted a scheme to steal the hearts of the men of Israel. He was successful that he managed to commit a somewhat coup d'état. David was technically being overthrown and needed to escape as soon as possible.

2 Samuel 15:13-23 narrates the story:

Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.” Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house. And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts. Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over. And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.

Ittai has all the reasons not to come with David at all! Being with David would mean danger to him and his family, and they would also be branded as rebels against the dominant authority. That would mean they have to always run for their own lives just to escape the eyes of Absalom!

These are some of the reasons Ittai should have used:

• He is a foreigner of the land - it means he is "safe" from Absalom's attention;
• He just arrived a day before the coup - it means he really is not involved at any party;
• He has a family - it means they would be "safer" if they would stay.

Ironically, Ittai did not use any of these, but decided to go with David instead!

What do you think is his reason for this?

Verse 21 says:

But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

Ittai might have heard and seen long before that the Lord has been guiding David. In fact, the Bible has called David "the man after God's own heart." What great faith he has!

Sometimes, it seems life indeed is unfair. Why do "good" people die early? Or Why do these tragic events happen on good people? But one thing is for sure, God knows what's best! He is sovereign, yet loving.

As Isaiah 55:8-9 says:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Moving on with our story, you would further read that a "common" Ittai would be one of the three Mighty Captains of David leading one-third of the army! 2 Samuel 18:1-2 says:

And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.

You might be in a situation where you feel so insignificant like the rivet, like the steel tyre, like the valve, or perhaps like Secretary Robredo when he was still alive and serving, or just like Ittai the Gittite...

Colossians 3:23 encourages us:

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

© 2012 Erickson Ibana