What is Unnamed About?
A number of people have typed this question into their search engine and landed here at my blog, probably to be disappointed by the vague synopsis I have thus far offered. Here’s a brief account of how the idea developed in my mind. I hope it helps!
Unnamed takes a look at several important but unnamed figures in the Bible. It fascinates me that God included in the Scripture accounts of various men, women, and children, but did not include their names. Some of these people did very pivotal things in history– even changed history!
This haunted me. I couldn’t stop thinking about how bizarre it is, until I realized that His inclusion of their stories says something powerful to all of us who, let’s face it, will never achieve lasting fame, recognition, or notoriety in this world. Most of us serve the Lord behind the scenes. Those few of us who do receive any recognition are not remembered for long.
Then, when I started to actually study the accounts of these unnamed, everyday heroes, I was thrilled to discover how very much like the rest of us they were. They shared our fears, doubts, insecurities, selfishness, weaknesses, sordid pasts, you name it (no pun!). And yet, God made heroes of them.
Their stories shed light on our own. More specifically, I believe that if you’ll take some time to consider their stories, it will help you understand God’s will for your own life.
I wanted to include some accounts of modern, everyday heores– but then, how do you find out about them? Some of them are named in the news, or elsewhere. But most of them, like these heroes in the Bible, are not. That’s when a friend of mine suggested that I write everyone I can think of and ask them to share stories of people they knew who had done heroic things but may not have made the news or been recognized for them.
I was blown away by the response. Glimpsing some of what God’s unnamed heroes are doing behind the scenes has been one of the most faith-affirming experiences of my life. It’s not flashy or glitzy, but the everyday deeds of these everyday people are changing… well… everything!
Coolest part of all: I discovered in this study some of what God says about our true identity; about our true name. To me, this was filled with so much mysterious promise that I just had to share it with others.
I pray all the time that God will energize Unnamed to prompt people to step into their God-given potential as one of his heroes. I pray that for you. Godspeed.
