So, you think you are a student of the Bible? Let me ask you a question. How many of these Bible characters do you remember? Epaenetus, Amplias, Andronicus, Junia, Urbanus, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, Narcissus, Persis, Rufus, Julia, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Asyncritus, Patrobas, Phlegon, Hermas, Philololgus, Lympas, Gaius, Erastus and Quartus?
This is not a copy of the names copied from some obscure genealogical list. They are all mentioned in the New Testament. Paul knew them and likely you some day will meet them in heaven.
We know that some of them used their house as a place of worship. One was the first person Paul converted in Achaia. Some were fellow prisoners and were known by many apostles. Paul described some of them as beloved, fellow workers, approved in Christ, labored much in the Lord, chosen in the Lord, my mother, my host, the treasurer of the city, and a brother.
You might think they are not important, but God, for some reason, wanted us to know them and gave us a record of their names. They are all found in Paul’s closing chapter to the church in Rome. They are all on another list found in another place where their names are recorded in heaven (see Heb. 11:23). You some day will meet them in heaven!
If you sometimes feel that your presence in the kingdom is so insignificant, you are wrong. These were real people who impacted in some way the lives of other Christians. You are just like them for you to impact the lives of others. It is not just those important church leaders whose names are widely known that matter. We must never overlook those who are not known, for Jesus spoke of those who were the least in the kingdom and was so vitally aware of what happened in their lives. The doors of heaven open and close on how we treat the least in the kingdom, for our attitude toward them shows our attitude toward the Savior. The Lord said, “As often as you did it unto them, you did it unto Me” (Matt. 25:40).
We may feel that because we are not visible in some public way in the church that we do not matter. He sees us and is aware of every “cup of cold water” we give to others (Matt. 10:42). Your worth is not determined by doing great deeds like noble people. It is determined by the unrecognized, “insignificant” deeds.
So, live your life realizing that you serve Him, and He gives you opportunities to bring glory to Him in faithfully serving by doing “insignificant” service. God does not just see the great deeds of those well-known. He sees you and your name is recorded above. There are no names on that list that are not important to Him. Your name is important to the Lord.