mattbraunlin
Member
- Nov 1, 2023
- 79
- 83
Willingly Unsung
Dedicated to my friend, Lynn Mosher
Humility is the Virtue above all others. Pride is our greatest nemesis, the incurable addiction of mankind, and only the humility taught us by the Holy Spirit can keep that addiction in remission.
Nothing in this life can destroy it entirely.
I just returned to the wonders of the Book of Genesis, which I have marveled at many times. Many of the Bible's most beloved tales and unsettling mysteries are found in this great tome, from the Creation and Adam & Eve, to Noah and the Ark, to the towering faith of Abraham, and the epic redemption of Joseph.
But through all these years of studying this incredible Book, there has been a certain story which compels me in a very special way. And having encountered it again, I knew it was time to reflect on it.
If you are new to the faith, you will not likely have heard of this story. In fact, I don't think I’ve ever really heard it discussed at all. And that is precisely why I find it so fascinating. Because this story is one of the absolute hinges of Biblical and world history, and yet it is ironically fitting that it should have flown so very low under the radar.
As I have said, we must strive for humility, and (though it is dangerous to even say things like this) I feel like I can say I have made progress in that department.
But I strongly doubt I will ever be as humble as the star of this lovely little story. It is told in Genesis 24 (a fairly long chapter by Bible standards) and features an unnamed servant of Abraham.
Abraham, who by now is very old, instructs his servant to return to the land of his family to find a suitable wife for his son, Isaac. After a long journey, he arrives. In his faith, this man begs God for a sign as to who this woman should be. God obliges, and reveals Rebekah as the woman destined to become Isaac's wife, and one of the most beloved women in history.
He explains himself and his motives to Rebekah's family, and after she consents to God's plan for her, he returns with her to his master's family. She marries Isaac, and the rest is the most blessed history.
This story is certainly nothing too astounding in and of itself. Admittedly, there is a good deal of redundancy which makes its narrative a bit cumbersome. You need to look a little closer to understand the thunderous, heavenly lessons this man teaches us. For example:
God cares about our lives on the most intimate level, and there is no better example of this than in the earliest beginnings of the Jewish people. An entire chapter of Genesis is devoted to this simple story of a man’s task of finding a mate for his master's son. The enormity of this story is in its smallness; God would have us contemplate that this rather unexciting road trip is one of the most important things that ever happened. It is every bit as crucial and consequential a link in the chain of Biblical history as the plagues of Moses or David and Goliath.
We must not forsake or overlook things in our lives because they seem small. Oh, believe me, I’m still learning that lesson. But the Bible is irrefutable evidence that God works in small ways every bit as much as in sweeping epics. That dull, tedious task which lies before us could very well be the key to our destiny.
But the main reason I have decided to tell you about the unnamed servant, is the very fact that he is unnamed.
The loyalty this man displays to his master Abraham and to God is simply fantastic. The employee of the month, forever. He goes miles out of his way to ensure that his master's task is completed to its fullest possible extent. And he is immortalized forever with his own chapter of God's word as a result.
But surely God could have told us his name? Even once? Is this loyal and obedient servant not worthy of that distinction?
The first five Books of the Bible were written by Moses. The events of Genesis were not recorded in writing until centuries after they had happened. How much of what we know as Genesis had been passed down as oral history, and how much was direct revelation from God, I do not know.
But somewhere along the line, either at the time or in heaven, I wouldn't be surprised at all if this man declined being named.
I’ll say it again; as I read about this servant, I see a man of unparalleled humility. A man who was concerned with serving his master, and who was in close communication with the Lord.
I do not find it hard to fathom that perhaps this man, at some point, declared, ‘Lord, I am not worthy of such an honour as being named for my efforts. The honour of serving you is enough.’
I deeply stress that this is just my own reflection. Why we are not told this great man’s name is ultimately a mystery, and in this life will always remain so. But the Biblical fact is that it is unusual for such a prominent person to remain anonymous, and a beautiful lesson in humility comes with the package.
The glory of God. That was this man’s priority, his all-consuming mission. Fame and fortune never entered the picture. And the lifesblood of humanity is in such people. Farmers. Soldiers. Teachers. Mechanics. Doctors. Homemakers. A.A. members. Men and women who keep the fabric of civilization together and die in anonymity.
A long time ago, I expressed the sentiment on facebook that ‘If Johnny Cash is an average joe in heaven, and some housewife from New Jersey towers like a monolith for all souls to see, I wouldn't be a bit surprised.’
After reflecting on the unnamed servant, I believe it all the more.
Dedicated to my friend, Lynn Mosher
Humility is the Virtue above all others. Pride is our greatest nemesis, the incurable addiction of mankind, and only the humility taught us by the Holy Spirit can keep that addiction in remission.
Nothing in this life can destroy it entirely.
I just returned to the wonders of the Book of Genesis, which I have marveled at many times. Many of the Bible's most beloved tales and unsettling mysteries are found in this great tome, from the Creation and Adam & Eve, to Noah and the Ark, to the towering faith of Abraham, and the epic redemption of Joseph.
But through all these years of studying this incredible Book, there has been a certain story which compels me in a very special way. And having encountered it again, I knew it was time to reflect on it.
If you are new to the faith, you will not likely have heard of this story. In fact, I don't think I’ve ever really heard it discussed at all. And that is precisely why I find it so fascinating. Because this story is one of the absolute hinges of Biblical and world history, and yet it is ironically fitting that it should have flown so very low under the radar.
As I have said, we must strive for humility, and (though it is dangerous to even say things like this) I feel like I can say I have made progress in that department.
But I strongly doubt I will ever be as humble as the star of this lovely little story. It is told in Genesis 24 (a fairly long chapter by Bible standards) and features an unnamed servant of Abraham.
Abraham, who by now is very old, instructs his servant to return to the land of his family to find a suitable wife for his son, Isaac. After a long journey, he arrives. In his faith, this man begs God for a sign as to who this woman should be. God obliges, and reveals Rebekah as the woman destined to become Isaac's wife, and one of the most beloved women in history.
He explains himself and his motives to Rebekah's family, and after she consents to God's plan for her, he returns with her to his master's family. She marries Isaac, and the rest is the most blessed history.
This story is certainly nothing too astounding in and of itself. Admittedly, there is a good deal of redundancy which makes its narrative a bit cumbersome. You need to look a little closer to understand the thunderous, heavenly lessons this man teaches us. For example:
God cares about our lives on the most intimate level, and there is no better example of this than in the earliest beginnings of the Jewish people. An entire chapter of Genesis is devoted to this simple story of a man’s task of finding a mate for his master's son. The enormity of this story is in its smallness; God would have us contemplate that this rather unexciting road trip is one of the most important things that ever happened. It is every bit as crucial and consequential a link in the chain of Biblical history as the plagues of Moses or David and Goliath.
We must not forsake or overlook things in our lives because they seem small. Oh, believe me, I’m still learning that lesson. But the Bible is irrefutable evidence that God works in small ways every bit as much as in sweeping epics. That dull, tedious task which lies before us could very well be the key to our destiny.
But the main reason I have decided to tell you about the unnamed servant, is the very fact that he is unnamed.
The loyalty this man displays to his master Abraham and to God is simply fantastic. The employee of the month, forever. He goes miles out of his way to ensure that his master's task is completed to its fullest possible extent. And he is immortalized forever with his own chapter of God's word as a result.
But surely God could have told us his name? Even once? Is this loyal and obedient servant not worthy of that distinction?
The first five Books of the Bible were written by Moses. The events of Genesis were not recorded in writing until centuries after they had happened. How much of what we know as Genesis had been passed down as oral history, and how much was direct revelation from God, I do not know.
But somewhere along the line, either at the time or in heaven, I wouldn't be surprised at all if this man declined being named.
I’ll say it again; as I read about this servant, I see a man of unparalleled humility. A man who was concerned with serving his master, and who was in close communication with the Lord.
I do not find it hard to fathom that perhaps this man, at some point, declared, ‘Lord, I am not worthy of such an honour as being named for my efforts. The honour of serving you is enough.’
I deeply stress that this is just my own reflection. Why we are not told this great man’s name is ultimately a mystery, and in this life will always remain so. But the Biblical fact is that it is unusual for such a prominent person to remain anonymous, and a beautiful lesson in humility comes with the package.
The glory of God. That was this man’s priority, his all-consuming mission. Fame and fortune never entered the picture. And the lifesblood of humanity is in such people. Farmers. Soldiers. Teachers. Mechanics. Doctors. Homemakers. A.A. members. Men and women who keep the fabric of civilization together and die in anonymity.
A long time ago, I expressed the sentiment on facebook that ‘If Johnny Cash is an average joe in heaven, and some housewife from New Jersey towers like a monolith for all souls to see, I wouldn't be a bit surprised.’
After reflecting on the unnamed servant, I believe it all the more.
