About 300 years after the life of Christ, a thriving church in the city of Laodicea was remodeling. Every aspect of the church architecture was carefully considered, from the orientation of the building, to the number of pillars, to the designs on the walls and alcoves. Symbols representing the disciples of Jesus, faith, baptism, and the Trinity surrounded believers every Sunday as they gathered to worship.

In this particular church, however, you might not even have noticed the beautiful and intentional work on every side and the arching overhead on the ceiling. You might have been too busy staring at the floor. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the entire church was the intricate mosaic that covered nearly the entire seating area. Alternating patterns laid out in squares and rectangles contained thousands of tiny colored stones carefully arranged by hand to form what would prove to be a decoration capable of surviving almost two millennia of heavy use, earthquakes, and exposure to the elements.

My favorite part of this mosaic, however, was the one panel that broke the pattern established by all the others. This unique panel was dedicated to the craftsman who had created the art for the church. We only know two things about him, both of which are spelled out clearly to this day in those same tiny stones that fill the rest of the mosaic. First, his name was Polycarp, likely named for the famous church father and bishop of Smyrna. Second, he was the "proto", or first deacon of the church in Laodicea.

What a great and enduring tribute to the faithfulness, skill, hard work, and God-honoring creativity of deacons! For thousands of years, God has worked through those who fill the office of deacon in meeting needs of all kinds throughout the body of Christ. They have obtained for themselves, as Paul writes, a good standing in the sight of all. Not every faithful deacon will leave behind a name known for centuries, as Polycarp did, but every faithful deacon leaves behind an indelible mark of service that continues to shape the church today, just as it has since the very beginning.