In the early pages of the book of Joshua, we meet a prostitute named Rahab. She is the one who hid the two spies that Joshua sent to check out the fortifications around the city of Jericho.

While the two Israelites hid on her roof, Rahab sent the Jericho authorities off on a goose chase. And then she made a bargain with those two spies. She negotiated to have herself and her family saved from the obvious upcoming battle. She and the spies made a vow based on her hanging an identifying scarlet ribbon out from her window.

Rahab was a very unlikely recipient of God’s grace and yet the entire story turns on her salvation and her willingness to be obedient to the instructions given her. She was definitely a “nobody” in this section of the Bible.

And yet, in the pages of scripture, her story continues. According to the genealogy of Matthew 1:5-6 and Ruth 4:21-22, we see that Rahab married Salmon (who may have been on the two spies) and they had a son named Boaz. Now Boaz was the father of Obed and Obed was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of David. And Jesus came through the line of David.

This “nobody” gave us the lineage through which the Messiah came to save His people.

This simple account got me to thinking about all the other “nobodies” that have served God down through the ages. They were not the center of attention; the world gave them no accolades and for the most part their names have been forgotten. But not forgotten to the Lord.

The great American preacher, D. L. Moody came to salvation in the back storeroom of a shoe store. His Sunday School teacher “cornered” him for Christ. We know all about D. L. Moody’s ministry, but without the “nobody” Sunday School teacher who spoke with Moody, it would not have happened.

Think about how the amazing English preacher, Charles Spurgeon came to Christ. In 1850, during a horrible snowstorm, he happened to stop in a small Primitive Methodist Church in Colchester, England. The pastor couldn’t make it to the church that week, so an unprepared deacon stood up and read aloud the words of Isa. 45:22: “Turn to me and be saved…”

The deacon, whose name we do not know, went on to say, “Young man, you look miserable. You must turn to Jesus Christ. Look! You have nothing to do but look and live.” Spurgeon responded in faith and became a Christian that night.

How many thousands of people have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through the ministry of Spurgeon. But without that “nobody” deacon, it would not have happened.

And right now, you and I may be the important “nobody” in someone’s life. Let’s be ready to share our faith with anyone God puts in our path. People of faith share their faith!