Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 3-083

MATTHIAS… WHO?

From ‘Sunrise Sunset’ (HarperCollins/Harper San Francisco), Rowland Croucher’s book of daily meditations. Feel free to use or adapt it.

Matthias… was added to the eleven apostles. Acts 1:26.

A celebrity works hard to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized! Deep down within most of us is a desire for significance, to be noticed or remembered. That’s why young people spray graffiti on walls. Someone carved ‘P. Abbot slept here, July 1, 1800’ on the seat of the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey.

In life’s drama, we dream of being on centre stage. But Marlon Brando once said ‘Acting has absolutely nothing to do with anything important!’. In his Confessions (Book 4:14), Augustine tells God he loved people on the basis of others’ judgments about them, but not God’s, ‘by which no one is fooled’. He praised others in the way he wanted others to praise him.

Matthias was elected by the casting of lots (some scholars suggest by ballot) to replace Judas (Acts 1:20-26), and then promptly disappeared from the apostolic story. We know nothing more about him (though tradition says he preached in Judea and was stoned to death). He was one of the Bible’s ‘bit players’.

Lord, may I never forget that ‘humility comes before honour’ (Proverbs 15:33). Remind me constantly that it’s better to be an anonymous disciple, an unsung hero, an ‘unknown soldier’ than to seek fame for my glory rather than yours. Amen.

Shalom! Rowland Croucher http://jmm.aaa.net.au