A History-Changing Also-Ran

She was a seamstress in a department store in a southern town. At 42, she was like thousands of women in the mid 1950's; working menial labor to get by. She wasn't likely to garner much attention either on the job, in the business streets of her city on in the neighborhood. Not renowned for anything of which I'm aware, she was, by all accounts, an "also-ran" in life.

Until December 1 of 1955...Reflective of her existence, and joining with others who examined what was and what could be, this lady decided that enough was enough. Expected to sit in the back of a Montgomery, Alabama city bus, as she had been thousands of times before, Rosa Parks refused to do so. And the rest is history.

Much of the history of God's love and justice is not written by those in power. It is forged in the courage of the "also-rans."

Just finished two great days of kayaking. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

Joseph, the Also-Ran

His name was Joseph. He was a Jew from a priestly family, who lived outside of Palestine; from the island of Cyprus, specifically. Apparently others who followed Jesus in first century referred to him as "barnabus" meaning, "son of encouragement." Maybe he was an uplifting person to be around. We don't know. The sum total recorded of Joseph is that he owned a piece of property somewhere in the region, he sold it, and gave the money from the sale to the early work of meeting human need among in the ministry of introducing people to Jesus of Nazareth, the one they claimed was "lord" above all. (Acts 4:36-37) Preachers seldom preach about him. I can't remember ever hearing anything taught about him in a Bible study, nor teaching anything myself. Biblical commentaries tend to treat him as an example of sacrificial sharing in the early Church, or as a set up for the dismal story of Ananias and Sapphira that follows. Joseph, by the world's standards, was an "also ran."

However, we don't know the results of the sale of that field. Did a hungry person get fed because of Joseph's acts, and thus see the sacrificing love of Jesus in flesh-and-blood action? Did that person come to know Jesus and feel welcomed in the believing community? Did that story become the vehicle through which other people turned God-ward? Could my faith or yours be not that many degrees separated from what Joseph started?

Be careful assuming anyone is an "also ran" or making that assumption about yourself. We don't know the monumental things God has done through those who don't happen to have been or to be in the limelight.

I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

Also Ran

I know next to nothing about horse racing. I read Seabiscuit, and saw the movie; enjoyed them both. That's about it. From hanging around the Illinois State Fair as a kid, though, I remember that the first three places in any race's finish were called win, place, and show. Any other horse in the field was listed as also ran... Any horse that ran in the race, and didn't get one of the first three spots was an "also ran."

Nobody remembers the "also rans." We remember the team that won the world series, but not the team that finished over .500, yet failed to make the playoffs. We recall the president of the company, but not the guy who retired as a department head, but never made it into the inner circle of company officers. I my professional world, we'll all remember the likes of Charles Swindoll, Bill Hybels, Rob Bell, and Francis Chan. And well we should - their impact on the mission of changing lives in the name of Jesus is immeasurable. No one will recall the pastor of the little church of thirty people, who lead them into genuine discipleship, growth, and impact in their small town, thus keeping the church from closing its doors. Our world assumes a hierarchy of influence, and "also rans" are low in that worldview.

Biblically, we remember Simon Peter, who lead the first gathering of Jesus-followers in Jerusalem. We remember Stephen, the first recorded martyr; surrendering his life for allegiance to Jesus. We recall Saul/Paul, the unlikely ambassador for Jesus throughout the Roman empire. Few people remember or know a follower of Jesus named Joseph, who was nicknamed Barnabus. I've never heard a sermon about him. He warranted only two verses in the Bible. I wonder why the Holy Spirit wanted us to know about this "also ran"?

More on Joseph, the "son of exhortation" in the next post. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.