There's No Such Thing as a Nobody in God's Kingdomਨਮੂਨਾ

Andy and June

"Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did." Romans 16:7 (NLT)

What person familiar with the New Testament doesn’t know of Saul/Paul, brilliant apostle and author of much New Testament Scripture? This Paul uses some significant space in the last chapter of his letter to the Romans to affirm and send greetings to several people. Two of these people were Andronicus and Junia.

None of us would likely pick Andronicus and Junia (let’s call them Andy and June) as our favorite Bible characters. Yet Paul specifically greeted them by name and told us a great deal about them in one verse.

Andy and June were fellow Jews and citizens of Rome. They were also prisoners with Paul when he was jailed for his faith, though their imprisonment did not receive the same notoriety as Paul’s. Andy and June were well known by the apostles, who held them in high regard. Not the least important thing we learn is that they were Christ-followers before Paul was!

Are you coming along ahead of someone who holds great promise as a leader in Christ? Are you perhaps feeling a twinge of envy or a sense of inferiority? Be assured that the Lord knows your name! He will direct you to doors to open for others to walk through, to prayers to pray for others, to thousands of ways to encourage folks doing great things for His glory. While the world around you may have no idea who you are, the Lord hasn’t lost contact with you! Rest in the fact that He has ordained good works that you should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10) and that your name is written down in the only place that matters—the Book of Life!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of opening doors for those who come after me and hold great promise in Your kingdom. Teach me to get out of the way. Keep my heart from grasping at recognition and trust that being recognized and esteemed by You is all I need. In Jesus’ name, amen.