Anonymity

Has anyone ever tried to hurt you with words? I am pretty confident in answering this question for anyone who is reading this blog, YES! There are times in life when words are purposeful, calculated and meant to sting.  Such a word was spoken to my husband this week and the word was anonymity.  I was curious to know the complete meaning of the word so I did a quick Google search and this is what I found-

“Anonymity is derived from the greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or being publicly unknown.”

My husband is the pastor of a small church in Franklin TN. I have intentionally highlighted the word small to make a point. It appears that pastoring a small church makes you a failure or at least that is what we have heard from many who have crossed our paths and felt the liberty to speak into our life and remind us we are nobodies doing nothing. I say this not because I am bitter or offended I am simply giving you a glimpse into my life.

Anonymity would have stung us a year ago and lingered at our tent door but what was meant for harm actually showed us the Lord has done a beautiful work in our lives.  There is no desire left in us for fame or glory, our goal and hearts cry is to preach the WORD of GOD and see others live by HIM and in HIM. If that means being a tiny light that can light up an entire room of darkness then we are walking in Gods purpose.

Shortly after the anonymity encounter during my early morning time with the Lord He reminded me of a program I watched when I was a little girl. Anyone remember, the show Romper Room.  For the sake of those who don’t it was a pre-school learning show and at the end of the program the teacher would take her magical mirror out and she would say, “I see John,I see Mary, I see, Michael, I see Kathy.” I stared at the TV with expectation waiting to hear my name and then one day I heard it, she saw me, she said I see Jeannette.  This was the Lord’s way of reminding me we may seem hidden from the eyes of man but not the eyes of the LORD.

If you have ever struggled with the thought that you are anonymous let me remind you the Bible is full of unknown and unnamed disciples, prophets, laborers, artisans, helpers, apostles and warriors.  Since the Bible is the lense of reality let’s get real. Here’s a very short list of unknowns:

·      The nameless prophet. (1 Kings 13: 1-3)

·      The 7,000 who did not bow to Baal. (1 Kings 19:18)

·      The men who dealt faithfully with money for the temple repairs.

·      (2 Kings 12:5)

·      Gideon’s 300 (Judges 7)

·      The unnamed 120 disciples (Acts 1:15)

·      The women with the alabaster box (Luke 7: 37)

·      The women who received their dead (Hebrews 11: 35)

·      The other who were stoned, sawn in two and slain by the sword.

(Hebrews 11:37)

The Lord will always have His generals (which I am grateful for) as well as His unknowns but as King Solomon said, the end of the matter is fear God and keep His commandments. These words of wisdom are the only path to having HIS NAME.

As for me and my house Jesus is the only name we desire…………

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Perspective: The WORD of the Lord in Revelation 3: 11-13

I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown. He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall never be put out of it or go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends from My God out of heaven, and My own new name.