The Unknown Life that Matters

I have been thinking about the subject matter of this post for about a week now and it comes from my reading of Romans 16.  For most us, our faith in Christ is not going to lead to some kind of recognition in any Christian circles, for we are just going to live the rest of our days in a faithful and relatively unknown life to the world, but it will be a life that matters nonetheless.

The text in Romans 16:1-15 are not ones that make it high of the list of deep scripture as there is not any great verses to memorize or preach from to awaken the masses.  After all, they are just a bunch of names of people Paul came across in all of his missionary travels.  Who gets excited about a names?  A slower look at some of the other words surrounding the names reveals something spectacular to think on and something encouraging for Christ-followers like most of us who will love Jesus and  invest in the Kingdom greatly for the rest of our lives without much fanfare.

We don't really care about that as we are living for Him anyway and we love being nothing in light of the greatness of His name. 

Here is the text and I have highlighted the unique words surrounding the names..

Romans 16:1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

There are 29 names, plus the words "and his sister" ; "and the brothers who are with them" & "all the saints who are with them".  Most of these are not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture but here , but what we most know of them is that the Apostle Paul found them to the most significant people in his life and in the kingdom.

Here is a thought to consider: The Kingdom moves forward by the uniquely called and by those who will never be known.  It actually takes both to impact the kingdom.  Paul is making it clear that he needed all of these people along the way and his relationship with them encouraged him to fulfill the calling of Christ upon his life.

There are few "Paul's" in the world, so most of us just go by the words servant, patron, workers, beloved, kinsmen, fellow prisoners, approved in Christ, chosen in the Lord, and even "spiritual" mother.

We are perfectly content in those names as long as we get to live for the honor of His.

Never forget...The Unknown Life Matters!