When Unsung Names Change Eternities
In the winter of 1938, a young British stock-broker named Nicholas Winton cancelled a ski trip, slipped quietly into Prague, and began handwriting lists. Hitler’s army was tightening its iron grip on Czechoslovakia; Jewish parents were desperate to save their children. Working from a hotel room and armed with nothing more than a pen, a borrowed typewriter, and stubborn compassion, Winton arranged trains, raised funds, forged mountains of paperwork, and delivered 669 children to English foster homes. He never boasted about it, not even to his wife. Half a century later, a BBC program packed its studio audience with those now-grown children. When the host asked anyone rescued by “Nicholas Winton” to stand, the entire room rose in thunderous gratitude. One quiet man with an ordinary job had etched an eternal legacy.
Paul ends his letter to the Colossians with a list of names every bit as unassuming as Winton—names seldom preached on, usually skimmed over. Yet in Colossians 4:7-14 (NASB 1995), God preserves an honor roll of “others” whose humble obedience moved the gospel across continents. Their stories teach that ministry is never a solo spotlight; it is a relay carried by ordinary believers who choose extraordinary faithfulness.
Tychicus: Reliability in Motion
Tychicus is called “our beloved brother and faithful servant.” He was Paul’s messenger in a variety of places, mentioned repeatedly in the New Testament as dependable and steady (Ephesians 6:21–22; 2 Timothy 4:12; Titus 3:12; Acts 20:4). He showed up and carried the message when it mattered most.
→ Can the Lord count on us to be faithful servants?
Onesimus: Never Too Far Gone
Once a runaway slave, Onesimus returns to Colossae not in chains but as “a faithful and beloved brother.” Paul’s letter to Philemon pleads for his full acceptance as family (Philemon 10–12). His life testifies that the grace of God rewrites stories and returns lost sons’ home.
→ How do we treat those with a questionable past who come to Christ?
Aristarchus: Loyalty Under Pressure
Aristarchus traveled with Paul during some of his most difficult times—he was seized during the riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:29), boarded the ship bound for Rome (Acts 27:2), and is now in prison beside Paul (Colossians 4:10). His presence when things got rough was not coincidental; it was convictional.
→ Will we be loyal in ministry even when it costs us something?
Mark: A Story of Second Chances
John Mark had once deserted Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey (Acts 13:13), leading to a sharp disagreement between them (Acts 15:37–39). But over time, he matured, repented, and was restored. Paul would later say, “Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service” (2 Timothy 4:11).
→ Have we written off someone that God may still use?
Justus: Faithfulness Without Fame
“Jesus who is called Justus” is mentioned only here in Colossians 4:11. There are no other details about him. And yet Paul calls him a “fellow worker for the kingdom of God.” His role was quiet but essential, another reminder that heaven’s spotlight often shines on earths behind the scenes servants.
→ Are we okay being faithful even if we never get noticed?
Epaphras: Wrestling in Prayer
Epaphras, likely the church planter in Colossae (Colossians 1:7), is described as “always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers” (Colossians 4:12). The Greek word for “laboring” suggests the struggle of an athlete. His intercession models what it means to fight spiritual battles on our knees.
→ Will we pray for others the way Epaphras prayed for the church?
Luke: Using Professional Skills for the Gospel
Luke, “the beloved physician,” was Paul’s close companion and the author of both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts (Luke 1:1–4; Acts 1:1–2). Paul notes in 2 Timothy 4:11, “Only Luke is with me,” showing his faithful presence in the final days of Paul’s ministry.
→ Will we use our skills for the sake of the gospel?
Demas: The Sobering Warning
In Colossians, Demas is simply listed as one of Paul’s companions. But by the time Paul writes 2 Timothy 4:10, he laments, “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me.” He reminds us that spiritual drift often begins in the heart long before it appears in the calendar.
→ What will our story say when the letter ends?
Thoughts to Consider
- God delights to use all kinds of people. Servants, scholars, ex-slaves, doctors, once-failures—every temperament, talent, and testimony finds a place in the divine mosaic. The only unacceptable résumé is an unavailable heart.
- The gospel advances on the shoulders of servants. The kingdom does not need more celebrities; it needs more Tychicuses who carry letters, more Epaphrases who carry burdens, more Justuses who carry on.
- A greater Story is still being written. Paul’s parchment is complete, but heaven’s chronicles are not. Today’s church holds the quill. Will this generation’s page tell a tale of dependable couriers, reclaimed prodigals, persevering friends, praying pastors, and skilled professionals who leveraged every gift for Christ?
Unknown to Known by the King
Nicholas Winton never intended to seek fame. He simply acted while others debated. Likewise, most believers will never headline conferences or author best-sellers. Yet every hospital visit, every late-night prayer, every faithful Sunday school lesson adds lines to a redemptive narrative whose full impact may not be revealed until eternity’s audience rises in grateful applause.
So let us step into the roles Christ assigns—pen in hand, compassion in heart, willing to labor in obscurity. History may forget our names; heaven never will. God is still crafting chapters through “the others.” And if ordinary servants will offer their ordinary days, the Author of salvation will script extraordinary outcomes—one letter delivered, one prayer lifted, one life changed at a time.