I confess that when it comes time to read the passages of Scripture that include a genealogy, I do not read all of the words, nor all of the names. Since I cannot pronounce many of the names and I know none of them personally, I see it as a boring facet of Bible ready. Until I pass a name of someone whose story I am familiar with, or I see the name of a woman, for example, I don’t stop to consider the lives of each person listed.
In Matthew’s genealogical account, five women are mentioned (four by name: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Maria, and Bathsheba by reference). But what if any of the men or women listed had not lived his or her life?
Matthew speaks of the fourteen generations between Abraham and David, the fourteen between David and the Babylonian exile, and the fourteen from the exile to Christ. Would we get to Jesus without the life of Nashon, the father of Salmon? What if Eleazar weren’t the father of Matthan? Salmon was Boaz’s father, who we know well from Ruth’s story. Matthan was the father of “and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ” (Mt. 1:16).
Each one of these characters were real people in the Bible story, the Bible history. They lived here on the earth and played their part in the story of Christ. If it were not for each one of them, we would not have the opportunity to know Christ as our Lord and Savior. Each one had their part in what we now celebrate as the greatest story ever told.
Sometimes we wish we could live a big story of great impact. A recent college graduate wants to get a job where she will make a difference and do great things. The preacher wants to prepare awesome sermons that bring many to Christ.
But not everyone has a “big” part. Not everyone can. Not everyone should.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? (1 Cor. 12:17-19)
God places every member of the body exactly where He knows they fit best. He chose each person in the genealogy in order that, through them, His Son would come to earth.
But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand. (Is. 64:8)
Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? (Rom. 9:21)
Thanks be to God, the Potter, for making us part of His body. Thanks be to God for using us as a small part of His big story, especially when we feel that our part is not as grand, impactful, or important as we had hoped. Without your part, God cannot do all of what He wants to do in the body. And without the parts that others play, we cannot fulfill His plan.
We don’t know what God will do with each part, but we will understand later with 20/20 hindsight. Meanwhile, let’s trust Him and celebrate the parts that everyone has in the body!
P.S. Congratulations and Happy Father’s Day to all of the Dads who play their part in the kingdom, in our lives, and in God’s body!