Key people to God's story

There are a lot of unnamed people in the Bible. Many of them are key to some aspect of the Bible story. For example, Genesis 4:17 says "Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch." I'd say that the mother of all the descendants of half the population was a key person. There is a servant girl in the story of Naaman. (See 2 Kings 5) In the New Testament, there is the person who supplied the colt that Jesus rode when entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and another who supplied the "upper room" for what came to be known as the Last Supper was also unnamed. In one case I can easily think of, the person isn't even mentioned. Luke 2:7 - "and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Christmas programs all over the world portray the innkeeper as turning away the holy family.

There are other people who are named, like Melchizedek who is mentioned 2 times in the Old Testament but Paul mentions him repeatedly in Hebrews. Paul uses him in describing who Jesus is even though there is almost no information in the Bible about him. Then there is Micaiah in 1 Kings 22. He did and said what was right no matter the consequences. He is mentioned in 1 Kings and no where else in the Bible.

Those are only a few examples of the unsung and sung heroes in the Bible. We have a tendency to think that other people have the story to tell, that our story is unimportant. We think that no one is interested, that no one can be touched by our story. But the Bible tells us otherwise. The Bible tells us that it takes all types of people and all types of stories to completely tell the story of God's salvation, of God's righteousness, of God's power and might. No one else has the same story as you do, not your spouse, your siblings, your parents, your children or your friends, your co-workers or the people you meet at the store. Your story is unique to you, just as God planned. God knows that there is something special about your story. Something special that needs to be heard by at least one other person. Unless we KNOW who that person is, we need to be telling and retelling our story. What have we learned of God during our journey? What can we learn if we just repeat the story to others? We should tell the story to as many people around us as will listen, even if they only listen to a snippet of our story.

When we intersperse our faith lesson into our discussion of our situations, we are telling the story of Jesus Christ as our redeemer, the story of our Father as merciful and the greatest supplier ever. Telling the story is only hard because we let our own pride get in the say. Yes, I am quite guilty of that. What will this person think if I tell the story of today using words of faith? Will I be labeled a Jesus Freak? So what if I am? What if I am shut down? I may learn something in the retelling. I may hear something in the retelling of MY story that provides ME with insight. So, tell your story.

God, Help me, oh help me, get past the pride, or intimidation, or trepidation that keeps me from telling Your story in me. Thank You for having a story in me. Thank You for bringing me closer and closer to You. Thank You for all the people in my life who have told Your story in their lives. I want to be of service to You. Amen.

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