Vol.XIII No.XI Pg.3
January 1977

Praise The Pluggers

Dan S. Shipley

To some, the word plugger may seem a little coarse and undignified when applied to people. It shouldnt. Not even when applied to Gods people. As defined by Webster in its colloquial sense, the plugger is one who keeps steadily and doggedly at work. When that work is the Lords work the pluggers are the faithful, So, even if the word seems common, the people it describes are certainly not. They are the unsung heroes of the Lords army. They are the backbone of the church. They are worthy of honor (Rom. 13:7).

Praise the pluggers. Not for their extraordinary talents, but for making good use of whatever talents they do have. They dont let their inability to do great things hinder them from doing little things. They are content just to do the best they can at what they can (Eccl. 9:10). That may mean cleaning the building or mowing the lawn. It may involve helping the sick or cheering the fainthearted. It may mean nothing more than giving a tract or an invitation, but they just keep right on, doing all as unto the Lord.

Praise the pluggers for their dependability. When the doors to the meeting house are open, they are there. Even when company comes, even when they dont feel so good, even when the weather is bad, even when others in their own family cant join them, and even when the preacher has to be away, they are there to worship the Lord. They dont quit when the preaching gets hard, when the preacher gets fired or when brethren get disagreeable. Its not that pluggers dont have their feelings, their personal problems, and their druthers. They do. Its just that serving the Lord is most important with them. Thats why you wont have to go looking for the plugger. Hell be there. You can count on it!

Praise the pluggers because their faithfulness is not limited by a certain church building or a home-town God. Though mindful of their special obligations to their home church, they know their obligations to the Lord dont end there. Thats why you will find pluggers worshipping God wherever their travels may carry them. And when they move to a new town, you wont have to look them up — theyll look you UP! Even amid strangers in a strange city, even with all the adjusting and getting settled, you may as well move over and make room, because the pluggers will be there! It may mean driving thirty or forty miles; it may mean missing supper or getting home late, but if it involves serving the Lord, theyll be there.

Praise the pluggers who keep on working to save lost souls. Though often discouraged, they never give up on trying to restore wayward brethren. They continually seek opportunities for discussing the Scriptures and teaching their friends. They ever stand ready to give answer (1 Pet. 3:15) and to give help with the gospel.

Praise the pluggers because we too often take them for granted. We hear the sinners skinned and those reputed to be somewhat are lauded but the pluggers are forgotten. Thank you for pluggers, Lord!