Some of us
feel inferior and unimportant because we are not the ones in the spotlight. Listen:
though not chair person, president nor main speaker, your behind-the- scenes
contributions are critical. Just like the Sertoli cell.
It is formed
about the 8th week in the womb within the developing testes. It
never produces sperms (the seed of men which produces babies when joined to
mother’s egg), yet its role is critical to the whole process of procreation.
The normal body temperature is too high for normal sperm production so the
testes which are formed within the abdomen must come down to the scrotum. It is
the Sertoli cell that produces the substance which controls the movement down.
In the unfortunate where the testes remain undescended, infertility and other
complications easily follow. Still in the formative stage in the womb the
elements that form the uterus and ovary (which would make the baby female) have
to die. The same substance from the Sertoli cell leads to their programmed
death ensuring a clear male line. When the male is old enough to fertilise, the
Sertoli cells are critical. In the 74 days it will take for a primitive germ cell
to give 512 sperms, close contact with the Sertoli cell is needed for survival.
The Sertoli cells are involved in a blood-testes barrier which protects the
developing gametes from immunologic attack. Also maturation of sperms takes
place deep within the folds of the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells. For maturation
of the sperms to occur the brain stimulates the Sertoli cells. They in turn now
mature the sperm cells before they are released into the waiting area for
ejaculation. So much for physiology; let’s get back to the Bible.
Aquila and
his wife Priscilla are not apostles. They appear not to be prominent speakers
either; yet play critical roles in maturation of men of God. They were tent
makers who hosted Paul in Corinth. They gave him more than shelter. It is clear
they gave him protection too: Give my greetings
to Priscilla and Aquila. They have not only served Christ Jesus together with
me, but they have even risked their lives for me. I am grateful for them and so
are all the Gentile churches Rom 16:3-4(CEV).
After
he was attacked in Corinth they accompanied him to Ephesus (Acts18:18-19).
Do you
remember the powerful speaker Apollos? He had been
instructed in the Lord's way, and with spiritual fervor he kept speaking and
teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only about John's baptism Acts 18:25(ISV).
Here
was a powerful tool in the hands of God needing maturing. Notice it is Aquila
and Priscilla God speaks to that the job be done: when Priscilla
and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained God's way to him more
accurately Acts 18:26(ISV). They did not refute or replace him, even
though it is clear they were ahead of him in spiritual things. After the
maturing process they released him to serve; as we see in the Sertoli story.
Did you notice the scripture says Apollos became successful thereafter? On his arrival he greatly helped those who, through
God's grace, had believed. He successfully refuted the Jews in public… Acts 18:27, 28(ISV).
Have you been nurtured to maturity? Or do you believe you need no one but the Holy Spirit and the scriptures? Think again.
Why do we struggle so hard for public prominence when some of us are designed to nurture others to reach where we cannot go? Where are our Sertoli cells?
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