The words of our Lord as He enters Jerusalem knowing that within days He will be crucified, still echo to this day with this lasting principle: a legacy of spiritual fruit belongs to that man or woman who effectively says to Christ, “Here am I, bury me.” Here am I, willing even to die, bury me. If there was anyone included in this description by our Lord, of a fruitful life of surrender, it would be the man who became America’s first foreign missionary. He would experience incredible suffering; he would bury all but one of his children; he would dig graves for his first wife and then his second wife 19 years later. Many of his associates would die from disease and stress. Long after becoming a living legend, he would write this kind of appeal to potential missionary candidates – and I quote – “Remember, a large proportion of those who come out on a mission to the East die within five years after leaving their native land. So walk softly . . . death is narrowly watching your steps.” How’s that for a recruiting strategy? Are you willing to be a seed, planted in the ground, and by suffering – even dying – bear a harvest for the gospel of Jesus Christ? This missionaries name was Adoniram Judson.