Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. . . . [And] Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

— Romans 16:12

For the past few days we’ve looked through Paul’s greetings to helpers, coworkers, and other saints here in Romans 16, highlighting just a few of them. These people are all “in Christ,” and they are therefore new creations, as Paul puts it in our theme verse, 2 Corinthians 5:17.In our text for today Paul highlights three women who are hard workers in the cause of Jesus Christ. Paul doesn’t tell us anything about their work, just that they embraced it as part of their service for Jesus.Maybe you know people like that. I do. In my work as a consultant for church leaders, I have often seen council chairpersons step into challenging conversations, meet with angry church members, and provide calm leadership in tense council meetings. Many of them have told me they never would have thought they could manage situations like those when they were first called into office. But there they are, doing hard things, to the best of their ability, equipped with wisdom, humility, and persistence from God.Let’s thank God for these people, and for all of the other new creations we know whose lives and hard work are signs that they are “in Christ,” pointing ahead to the new creation.

Lord, thank you for wise church leaders who are “in Christ” and whose work for the church reveals that you are living within them. By the power of your Spirit, strengthen them for calm times and challenging times. Amen.