Nameless but not unknown

Do I know the names of everyone that I get in contact with? Well, those whom I know by name must have made significant contribution to may life one way or the other. Or that the person would have been a celebrity. Isn’t that criteria convenient? Isn’t the same leading us all into the rat race of creating a name for ourselves in the world.

Even in the Bible there are many famous people whom God made extraordinary. Moses to Paul were ordinary individuals whom God chose for His purpose and we know them by their names. However, the pages of the holy book are also filled with countless people whom God chose to fulfill His purpose but chose not to name them. For example, on His final day, Jesus instructs two of His disciples to go to Jerusalem and follow an individual who would meet them while carrying a jar of water. The person carrying a jar of water indeed met the disciples and took them to the upper room in the house where Jesus washed the feet of His and had His last supper. Even the owner of the room served the purpose of God by allowing Jesus and the disciples to stay in. Both these people were chosen for God’s purpose and God chose not to name them in His chronicle of events.

Now would we say that these people were not important? God knew them and took their help to achieve His purpose of crucifixion of Jesus. I am sure that God knew them well enough to rely on them for help. I am sure that God would have addressed them as good and faithful servants when they would have come to His mercy seat. So, does it make any difference if they were not mentioned by name in the Bible. I guess not.

So, the point is that I am not here in this world to make a name for me. If it is God’s will to make me known, that’s fine. But our tendency as humans to do anything and everything to get famous, or sometimes notorious, needs to be checked. This is a ploy so that we destroy our peace and our lives in a mad race to nowhere. It is better to be unnamed than be unknown to God, it is better that He uses us for His purpose and awards us with an eternal life than be known in this world for just a few moments, and it is better to be sane in serving God than to loose peace in chasing fruitless ambitions.

(The picture here is of an unknown copper miner from Zambia. Copper mines are one of the key sources of revenue for this African country with beautiful people.)