Judges 13:2

New International Version (NIV)

A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth.

For meditation

Throughout the Bible, we come across women who are not identified by their names. They were significant in many ways, but they still remain anonymous. In today’s world, there would be declaration of war on whoever wrote their stories. Interestingly, the Holy Spirit preferred to leave their identities in the shadows, but emphasized their roles and their impact.

The story of Samson started with his mother receiving the angelic visitation (Judges 13:3). This is such a significant experience that we would expect the woman’s name to be mentioned, but not in the mind and purpose of God. In the New Testament, we meet a lot of anonymous women in Jesus’ life. He taught significant lessons with their lives and faith, yet, the Holy Spirit maintained the sanctity of their identities. We meet the Canaanite woman in Matthew’s Gospel (15:22), the widow of Nain (Lk. 7:12), the hemorrhaging woman (8:43), the persistent widow (18:3), and the Samaritan woman (Jn. 4:39-42). They all speak to us – men, women, young, old – and their anonymity does not diminish their witness and impact on our lives. Most importantly, their place in the kingdom of God and their heavenly rewards are as secure as every other man or woman named in the scriptures.

1. Why, then, do we get all worked up when our names are not shouted from the pulpit, with praise accompanying them?
2. Why are we so fixated on getting our names inscribed on everything in the church? Why do we get so offended when a plaque is not mounted in our honor for anything we fund?
3. Why are women fighting to get every noun and pronoun in the Bible we have known for ages to be referencing both sexes to be changed to the neuter?
4. If the original language uses “man” or “he” in a text, why do we want to change them for social correctness?
5. Are we wiser than the Author of the Book? Does it change anything in the mind of God? If the Holy Spirit chooses to leave those women anonymous and to use masculine words in His script, why challenge His intention and purpose?

I pray we surrender to the purposes and intentions of God and exclaim with Paul, after his exquisite exposition of God’s Salvation plan in Roman 11:33-34: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? ”

So: May we not fret when we are not recognized by name for any of our good deeds, knowing that God knows us and will fitly reward us in due time(Matt 6:1). Rather, may we focus on God and what He intends to do with our roles and their impact in His kingdom! His glory is paramount.

 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever!

Shalom.