Nameless Faceless
Have you ever been referred to by your tittle as if it were your name? Wait, wrong question. The right question is, have you ever been referred to by a title as if you didn’t have a name? For example, how many of us know what Joyce Meyers husband’s name is? ‘For many of us, he’s just Joyce Meyer’s husband. Think about your favorite celebrity who’s not married to another celebrity. What’s their spouse’s name? Who knows! She’s just Mr Handsome’s wife or he’s Lady Beautiful’s fiancé. How about for all us normal folks? How many of us are just the secretary, the janitor, the nurse, cashier, or the waiter? What about the wife of a pastor? Most of the time, she’s introduced as the pastor’s wife before her name is give, if her name is given.
Have you ever been in that situation? Are you in that situation? How does that make you feel? Does that define you? More important, does that determine your destiny, being a nameless faceless person? Does it limit what you can do in this life, how far you can go? Perhaps, if your stake was in this life, then the answer would be yes, but I’m not writing to people who are looking to put down roots here. You are God seekers, God finders, and God lovers through Jesus Christ, which means, this is not your home. Your stake has been put in the ground of another land; the place where you now sit with Christ in God called the Heavenly Places. This world, that your flesh now occupies, does not determine your destiny. It cannot limit you or hold you back; only your lack of faith can do that.
I was thinking recently about the story of Jonathan, the son of King Saul. I heard someone say once that he was every bit the man that King David was, and up to a point, I would have to agree. We can’t ever know what kind of King he would have ended up becoming, but we know know that he was the type of man that was willing to put David first, save David’s life, knowing that even though as Saul’s son the place of King rightfully belonged to him, it was given to David. 1 Samuel 23:18 - “And he (Jonathan) said unto him (David), fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel…”. We also know that he was a great warrior, who loved his people, Israel, and was willing to lay down his life to see them find victory in battle. Remember when he and his armor bearer went up against the garrison of Philistines and turned the entire tide of the war in favor of the children of Israel once again? That one act of bravery made the soldiers who had joined up with the Philistines switch sides again, and it made the soldier’s who were hiding in the caves come out of hiding and fight. Yes, Jonathan was great and he got the credit for it. He was not nameless and faceless. But, his armor bearer was.
The armor bearer was usually a young man, a warrior wanna-be, who carried the shield and spear of a more seasoned soldier and took care of his horse. It wasn’t his job to fight alongside his master, but that is exactly what he agreed to do. He didn’t discourage Jonathan’s crazy plan. He basically told him, “whatever is in your heart to do, I am with you.” Wow! Jonathan had faith in God. We are not sure if this young man’s faith was in God or in Jonathan, but he had faith, and I’m sure that helped stir Jonathan forward. As Jonathan went slaying, the armor bearer probably made sure none of the soldiers he slayed got back up to attack him from behind; he had his back, and they got the victory for God’s people that day.
Yet, we know nothing about him. We don’t know his name or even what tribe he came from. We don’t know what happened to him next. For all we know, he could have grown up to become one of David’s three mighty men, or he could have been killed two hours later in battle. What we do know is that he made Jonathan look good, kept him safe, backed him up, encouraged him, strengthened his resolve, and never even got his name mentioned for it. The battle could not have been won without him, and all he’s known for is his less than honorable title of armor bearer, A.K.A warrior wanna-be, sword sharpener, horse scrubber, shield carrier.
What a great lesson to be learned in that!
It’s ok to be the secretary that keeps the boss calm and steady and makes life easier for him / her so that they are respected by everyone. It doesn’t matter that the other employees overlook you and half the time can’t remember your name. Nameless and faceless isn’t glamorous, but You know that without your ability to tame the tiger (your boss), many of those same employees wouldn’t have their jobs and therefore, wouldn’t be able to take care of their families. They don’t know the impact you‘ve made on their lives, but God does.
It’s ok to be the lowly nurses aid that doctors may overlook. How many patients have thrived because of your gentle touch, encouraging words, and loving smile? Sure, the doctor will get the credit for saving their life, but who gave them the will to keep going? You will never receive credit for a life saved which sent a mother home to her children and a husband home to his wife, but God tally’s things different than the world, and His ledger is true.
What about the woman at the well (John 4:4-42)? For many of us, that is all she will be until we get to heaven. Unless you do the research, you will never know her name or her story or know that she was sometimes referred to as one of the 1st Apostles! Click HERE (*see the note below) if you are interested in learning more about this woman who did so much more than what we read about in the Bible. If you stop with the Bible, she is a woman without a name who’s honesty about her shortcomings and her testimony allowed her whole town to find Jesus! For some, she may always be that woman with the five husbands. For some, you may always be that woman with the five kids, that girl that had the abortions, that one they all whispered about in high school. People may not take the time to dig any deeper into your story either, but God knows.
We don’t need a name to make our mark on this world. There is a part of us that longs for recognition, and God understands that about us, but ultimately, we may have to make the decision like Jonathan did, and even hold our birthright loosely. I think the trick is to be ready for both scenarios. Jonathan was every bit the man that David was, ready and able to be a great king, but was willing to step aside for someone else to wear the crown and receive the glory.
You may be every bit as smart and charismatic as your boss, but right now, God has you as her secretary.
You may be every bit as strategic as your commanding officer, but right now, your just a Private First Class, so humble yourself and take orders and make your C.O look good.
Your time may come and if it does, you’re going to need an armor bearer who is willing to crash through a Philistine garrison with you on faith alone. Or, you may be destined to die in obscurity. That’s ok too. Either way, there’s a crown waiting for you in eternity that your Father in heaven can’t wait to bestow upon you, because He sees you, even if no one else does.
Your Less Long-winded Kollider Scribe,
K.
*The website hosting the article about Photini (the woman at the well) is Women’s Ordination Worldwide, a catholic organization. I’m obviously not against women’s ordination, but my referencing this article is in no way my advocating for this particular organization. I don’t know enough about them to do that.