Unknown

Our culture is a strange one.  A culture that aspires to be known, to be acknowledged.  I think it's a human condition because we all want to be known, to be "somebody" but how hard it is for us to be unknown, to be a nobody to the world.  It's as if we have failed if we are not known, if we aren't "somebody."

And yet, it's most wonderful to be off the public radar, to be unknown.  This morning I read these words and thought about the unknown ones and what is awaiting them.

2 Cor. 8:18 We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News. 19 He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem—a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.

As I read those words it was amazing to me that in their midst was a man well known to the churches, praised by Paul and gifted in the work of God, but his name is not mentioned.  We have no idea who he is!  Paul just calls him "another brother", one who "all the churches praise".  He's unknown to us. 

I'm sure there was a reason Paul didn't mention his name, but he mentioned everyone else in his circles by name why leave this great man of the church unnamed? 

I wonder if we realize it's not important that others know who we are and what we have done, what we have sacrificed for God.  In our culture we all want our praise and glory now, but how wonderful it is to be unknown, uncelebrated by the world around us.....because then, when God highlights who we are and what we have done we will enjoy his rewards.

In the passage I quoted above there follows another unnamed man who would also be involved in the work.  How wonderful it is to be serving God and unknown to the world.  It gives us the promise of one day being known and acknowledged by the only one that matters....our audience of one.