As Christians, we tend to emphasize the heroic men and women of the Bible and from church history — and rightly so since they’re the names and histories that we know. But how often have you thought about the incidental people in the Bible?
A recent devotion I read had me thinking about lesser-known Bible heroes. The context was Acts 9. Right after Jesus called Saul of Tarsus (aka the Apostle Paul) to follow Him, striking him blind to get his attention, the Lord called a man named Ananias to minister to Saul:
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 9:10-17 (ESV)
And that’s the last we hear of Ananias. We never find out what happened to him after that. Did he become a leader in the early church? Was he a martyr? Did he live to a ripe old age? We don’t know, but we do know that Ananias was faithful and obeyed the Lord.
“Ananias is one of the many figures in Christian history who played significant roles without our knowing much about them,” my devotion reminds us.
Both the Old and New Testaments are full of names that get a quick mention. Last year at church, when we finished our series on Romans, the sermon about chapter 16 was called “Non-Anonymous Saints” in honor of the people Paul named in his letter to the Roman church. But there have also been billions of faithful Christians who serve and honor God with their lives yet will never make it into the history books. That includes you and me.
Related: Sunday Thoughts: Seeking the World’s Approval
“In reality, we do not know much about most Christians in history, and most people will not know much about us on this side of heaven,” the devotion continues. “Nevertheless, God can use us to do significant things for His glory. The Lord will surely use our simple faithfulness to Him to expand His kingdom.”
Surely, none of us are trying to turn our service into fame; after all, our biggest rewards are where they count the most — in eternity. It can still sometimes feel like we’re toiling in anonymity when we serve, but know that God sees you and that your work for the Gospel echoes forever.
As Paul, whom Ananias helped, told the Galatian church, “let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10, ESV). And never forget that you’re never anonymous to your Heavenly Father.