In

some parts of the letters in the New Testament we find clear

reminders that we are reading someone else’s mail.

If

you are cleaning out your grandmother’s house after her death and

you find a shoebox full of letters, you might read passing references

to “Uncle Harry’s difficulties” or how “cousin Louisa hit it

big.” But you may not know much about either person, and you may

never know what difficulties or successes they had.

There’s

a story behind Paul’s references to Epaphroditus, and the

Philippians knew what Paul was talking about. But we don’t. In the

Bible this man, Epaphroditus, is mentioned only in Philippians. It

sounds like Paul had him hand-deliver this very letter to the church

in Philippi. It also appears that Epaphroditus had brought Paul a

gift from Philippi and that he nearly worked himself to death for the

cause of the gospel. More than that we do not know.

But

in some ways we can think of Epaphroditus as a stand-in for us all.

We all have stories. We may even have done devoted work for God. No,

we’re not famous. Few people will remember our names after we are

gone. But God knows each of us by name. God remembers. God honors us

for the service we have done for his kingdom. And that is more than a

little encouragement for us all!